Sara received her Bachelor of Science degree in History and English in 1994 from Evangel University, a private Christian university in Springfield, Missouri. Sara spent four years teaching high school in Rosemount, Minnesota before recording her first album, Past the Wishing, in 1998. Since then, she has released five more albums and appeared on several others (see below). Sara has been nominated for 3 Dove Awards including "New Artist of the Year" in 2002 and "Special Event Album of the Year 2003" by the Gospel Music Association. She was named one of the best Christian music artists of 2005 and the album, Add to the Beauty, was named "Album of the Year" for 2005 by CCM Magazine. In 2009 Fireflies & Songs earned enough votes from a panel of ten music critics to be named Christianity Today's Album of the Year. The magazine explained their choice: "Already known for her transparent songwriting, Sara Groves gets even more piercingly honest on this, her ninth album. Whether her relationship with God, marital tension, or a private battle with anxiety, it's poetically spilled forth in Groves' call for the church to 'live confessionally.' And paired with less poppy, stripped-down arrangements, her achingly clear vocal remains front and center. This is vintage Groves—yet more herself than ever."
Less Like Scars
Sara Groves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it's
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like character
Less like a prison, more like my room
It's less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like fear, less like an ending
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars
Just a little while ago
I couldn't feel the power or the hope
I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing
Just a little while back
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
You would come
And I need you
And I want you here
And I feel you
And I know you're here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars [Repeat x3]
And more like character
The song "Less Like Scars" by Sara Groves is a powerful reflection on the process of healing and the transformation that comes from pain and suffering. The opening lines set the stage for the theme of the song, as the singer reflects on a difficult year and her struggle to rebuild her life after a traumatic experience. The lessons she has learned are hard, and the changes are subtle, but she is gradually making progress.
The song then shifts to a more philosophical reflection on the nature of healing, as the singer contrasts various negative experiences - tearing, captivity, breakdown, haunting - with their more positive counterparts - building, willingness, surrender, and remembrance. As she reflects on these experiences, she feels a sense of comfort and reassurance that comes from the presence of God, who she believes is helping to pick up the pieces and transform her pain into something deeper and more meaningful.
Overall, "Less Like Scars" is a deeply moving and inspiring song, one that encourages listeners to find hope and meaning in the midst of struggle and pain. The lyrics are poetic and profound, and the melody is gentle and uplifting, creating a sense of peace and reassurance just when it is needed most.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a hard year
The past year has been difficult
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
Despite the difficulty, I'm working to overcome it
These lessons are hard
The lessons I've learned have been difficult
Healing changes are subtle
The changes made toward healing aren't always noticeable
But every day it's
Every day it's becoming
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like destruction and more like construction
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like being forced and more like being willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like falling apart and more like giving up control
Less like haunting, more like remember
Less like being haunted by the past and more like remembering it and learning from it
And I feel you here
I feel your presence
And you're picking up the pieces
You're helping me put things back together
Forever faithful
You're always faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
The situation seemed impossible to fix
But you are able
But you have the power to fix it
And in your hands the pain and hurt
You have the ability to turn the pain and hurt into something good
Look less like scars and more like character
They seem less like wounds and more like experiences that have shaped my character
Less like a prison, more like my room
Less like a place of confinement and more like a familiar, comfortable space
It's less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like the end of something and more like the beginning of a new thing
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like death and more like rising above
Less like fear, less like an ending
Less like being afraid and less like something coming to an end
Just a little while ago
Not very long ago
I couldn't feel the power or the hope
I was feeling powerless and hopeless
I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing
I couldn't handle the situation and was numbed by it
Just a little while back
Recently
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
I was hurting, shattered and desperately hoping for a solution
You would come
That you would arrive
And I need you
I require your help
And I want you here
I desire your presence
And I feel you
I sense you with me
And I know you're here
I am sure that you're with me
And you're picking up the pieces
You're helping me put things back together
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
The situation seemed impossibly bad and unfixable
But you are able
But you have the ability to fix it
And in your hands the pain and hurt
You can take the pain and hurt and make something good from them
Look less like scars
Appear less like lasting wounds
[Repeat x3]
The following lines repeat three times
And more like character
And more like traits that shape my character
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Written by: NATE SABIN, SARA GROVES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nancy Foix
It's been a hard year
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it's
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like haunting, more like remember
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like character
Less like a prison, more like my room
It's less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like fear, less like an ending
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars
Just a little while ago
I couldn't feel the power or the hope
I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing
Just a little while back
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
You would come
And I need you
And I want you here
And I feel you
And I know you're here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars [Repeat x3]
And more like character
pinkydust123
Sara's music touches me like no one else. Less Like Scars helped me get through a very difficult time . "But in Your hand the pain and hurt seem less like scars..." Thank You!
Chris Montano
Keep coming back to this song, when life happens, over and over.
veggiet2009
Me too. I see that I liked your comment, but I don't remember how long ago. So I thought I'd comment
svonhaney
LOVE Sara's music. Such deep lyrics. What a blessing - thank you! (Would love to see more songs posted up here = if Sara or her people read these ...)
Walter Davis Jr.
This sister speaks to me and my relationships so often. Thank you!!
Sandra Archibald
Wow- that brings me back!
I was going through very hard times then...and a friend introduced me to Sara.
Thanks for sharing this video.
Nancy Foix
It's been a hard year
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it's
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like haunting, more like remember
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like character
Less like a prison, more like my room
It's less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like fear, less like an ending
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars
Just a little while ago
I couldn't feel the power or the hope
I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing
Just a little while back
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
You would come
And I need you
And I want you here
And I feel you
And I know you're here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars [Repeat x3]
And more like character
Kevin Connors
speaks to my being !!! just love it.
DesertDweller31
Love this song.
Wired-Up Retro
'Forever Faithful' are my favorite words of the song :)