Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is biweekly and a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.
Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.
PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined Saving Savior. This week we will examine Freed to Free. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”
PROMISE: Galatians 5:13-14 Amplified Bible
13 For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the [a]sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through [b]love serve and seek the best for one another. 14 For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”
PSALM: Christ Arose, Low in the Grave He Lay
Words and music by: Robert Lowery 1874
Stanza
Vainly they watch His bed Jesus my Savior
Vainly they seal the dead Jesus my Lord
Death cannot keep his prey Jesus my Savior
He tore the bars away Jesus my Lord
PARABLE: Harriet Tubman is my favorite African American heroin because she used her escape from slavery to transform the trajectory of others. Over and over her selflessness was on display as with tenacity she WENT BACK to free hundreds of slaves. What she did with her freedom changed the history of African Americans. Like Jesus, Harriet was a Freedom Freer. Jesus teaches us that our freedom is not for ourselves but for others. When I reflect on this hymn, I see Jesus breaking the chains of death for me and for you. I hear him saying, “I can’t stay buried because I must arise for Sherri!” I hear Jesus saying, “I arose for you so you must rise and help free others!”
I have a burning desire to transparently share the bondage-breaking story from shame in my life. Like the Samaritan woman, Jesus met me at a well and cleansed me. I don’t want to waste the refreshing, healing, cleansing, freedom water by remaining silent. I want to take my pitcher of transparency and authenticity that is full of grace and mercy and pour it out onto others. Like Harriet Tubman, I want to go back and help free others. Going back is simply a metaphor of sharing the scars.
After Jesus arose, Thomas demanded evidence of Jesus’ freedom. He said unless he saw the scars and was able to put his hand into the scars of Jesus he would not believe. Jesus showed and let him Thomas touch his scars. This is a word picture of transparency, vulnerability, and authenticity. It teaches us the power of our freedom story. It is the SCARS – surviors confessing and releasing shame stories – that help to free others. Can you hear Jesus saying, “Don’t hide the scars. It is for your freedom that I was freed. It is for the freedom of others that you were freed.”
Perhaps there is an area in your life where you were in bondage but that the blood of Christ has drowned. Perhaps you were drowning in the hurt of abuse, the habit of addiction, or the hang-up of aggravation before Jesus freed you. Only you know what held you in bondage. Yet, Jesus put THAT hurt, habit, or hang-up in cuffs and called you to walk in freedom and to share your freedom scars with others. Are you sharing your freedom SCARS?
Soul care training exercise: 
- Reflect and let the Holy Spirit reveal to you how he wants you to share you SCARS?
- Notice without judgment and with a curious awareness what comes to your mind. Invite God into your sanctified imagination. Ask Him to show you THAT thing, perhaps the thing that you are most ashamed of that He freed you from.
- Next scan your mind and notice how you are living out your freedom. Scan your mind to see who in your life is living in bondage in that same area.
- Now Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an image of how you can use your SCARS of freedom to introduce others to the freeing power of Jesus Christ.
- Finally, Focus on what God shows you and offer Him thanks for the invitation to like Jesus, share your freedom.
PRAYER: Thank you Saving Savior that I don’t have to hide my scars. Authenticity, transparency, and vulnerability in you is like a healing balm rubbing out shame. Help me spread my balm to the nations. Authenticity is my super power. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to feel your freedom. Then take the mindfulness of God’s freedom cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.
Until next time, be Resonant.
The post Freedom scars appeared first on Resonant 7.
BONUS Meditation: I invite you to take 5 minutes and listen to the SCARS guided meditation.
Image attributions: Text art app with words added
As always the blog was refreshing and enlightening. Thanks for the bonus meditation❤?
Thanks for taking your time to explore the blogs. I appreciate your feedback and support. May your freedom scars heal the nations!
This blog was dynamic. Sherri D. and very well stated. It is life changing and it requires transparency on our part.
Thanks for your continuous support! There is healing in revealing the secrets.