“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
– Kahil Gibran
~~~~~~~
When Laura from Hollywood Housewife first sent me this quote, immediately my thoughts flashed back over my 33 years.
The struggles I have endured.
The pain I have felt.
And how I definitely don’t feel that I have the strongest soul because of it all.
I most certainly don’t always see a more massive character emerging.
Instead I see a girl, not even a woman really, weak and struggling to still find her place.
I see the real me, insecure at times, wondering if what I’ve been through will ever be used to “bring beauty from pain.”
But tonight, as I finally sat down to write on this….I did something I don’t always do before I write.
I prayed.
In front of these words, I prayed, and I simply asked God to speak through me.
To not make this about me…but to speak the words HE wants you all to hear.
And then I realized….this quote?
It ISN’T directly about me.
I mean, I can relate, sure.
I know suffering….I mean, hello, I’ve given birth.
I have a strong willed child.
I am a stay at home mom/aspiring writer.
I GET suffering.
{plus, I AM a middle child. and middle children naturally suffer.}
But.
When I prayed, and I opened my eyes and looked at that quote again, this was my first thought.
“Thank you Jesus.
For living out that example.
For suffering, all because you loved us so much.
For being an example of an incredibly strong soul…so that we could know that in our weakness, you remain strong.”
“And Jesus, thank you for the scars.
Is thank you even enough for all the suffering, for all of the pain that caused your scars?
You gave your life willingly on the cross simply so we could be free….”
“Thank you doesn’t seem enough.
But you know….you see my heart.
You know the emotions and gratitude that goes so far deeper than this simple prayer.”
And when I read that quote now…
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
– Kahil Gibran
….I think of Him.
sometimes all it takes is a simple prayer to see it from another side…
And because of His suffering, and because of His scars, and because of His massive character and incredibly strong soul….
I am made perfect in His eyes.
All that pain I have endured….
the dysfunction.
the heartbreak.
the turmoil.
all that I see as so imperfect, so impossible at times to overcome….
HAS BEEN OVERCOME.
And through HIS scars.
Through HIS suffering,
I am no longer bound.
I am free.
And as I slip my small hand into His scarred yet capable Hands,
His soul and His character become mine as well.
His soul and His character become mine as well.
And suddenly what was about Him…
becomes also about us.
becomes also about us.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
– Kahil Gibran
I can be this, because I am His child.
I am his daughter, holy and beloved.
And as long as I continue to look to Him, cling to Him really…
Out of my suffering will emerge a strong soul with massive character.
That is his promise.
And it’s against His character to break a promise.
It never ceases to amaze me, how simple it is to pray.
But what absolutely blows me away, is that when I do….
He never fails to show me the truth.
He never fails to show me the truth.
And the truth is…
We live in an imperfect world.
We live in an imperfect world.
We will all suffer.
We will all have scars.
But through the blood of Jesus, we can all be healed.
And we can all emerge with stronger souls and a massive character
And we can all emerge with stronger souls and a massive character
Through Him, there will be Beauty From Our Pain.
{this has been a part of The Gathered Parts Link Party, which I adored, and now I feel a strong NEED to have those cards.}
© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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Beautiful!