Do you have some scars, or marks, or wounds from following Christ?

Paul did! You probably don't have them like Paul had. I know I don't.. not physical ones. 

It's weird, but I personally seem to have had more than the average amount of emotional ones.. from those sufferings. I've met many people who have hurt a lot. Yes, even among my relatives. 

My little sister was murdered, and then her oldest son, Dutch, died. Did both of those funerals, but seeing my mom and Dad hurt from that totally broke me. They were earlier drinking alcoholics and didn't always get along so well. I've had some alcoholic sons. 

Some of the emotional trials have come from so-called Christians and so-called churches I've preached in.

Not all of what you and I have suffered, brethren, is because of our faith.. some of it's from living in this sin-cursed world with lots of crazy circumstances.

Do you get punished for being a Christian? Have you had relatives, or so-called colleagues, fellow students perhaps.. give you really a hard time cuz you're a Christian? What or who do they use to hurt you? May the Lord reward them accordingly.

That happens to me sometimes when I didn't even say anything yet. My wife can simply read the truth through the Bible and she gets in trouble. She's read through the Bible twice a year since 1981 at CFNI.

I say this: From now on, let zero people more cause me trouble emotionally, physically, or with harassment (some will still do that, they seem determined to, but stop it cuz I just don't have time for any of that, or for sin (we all do sadly sin like every other day or three), or time for silly foolishness. 

Don't have time for it -- I have time for Him today, and for serving him his way as he leads me. I pray I don't impede, hinder or get in his way. Holy Spirit have free reign and rule without rival in my heart! Jesus is doing a work in me, a new thing, and I want to see it maximized for impact in this corrupt world. I've decided to keep going forward spiritually with You, Jesus. Let the new adventure! Begin today) 

Paul: "From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Galatians 6:17-18. 

Would you pray something like this: Father God, in Jesus name do it new things and use me to spread the Gospel (boldness, gentleness and respect) and please push back and remove the opposition hindering this from happening. Be exalted and glorified through me!

I'm certainly not Paul (want to be more like the Jesus I see in him), nor do I have many physical scars. What Paul meant by “the marks of the Lord Jesus” (v.17)

When Paul the Apostle says he bears “marks,” the Greek word stigmata refers to literal scars—evidence of suffering for Christ.

1) Scripture confirms this clearly. Remember how Paul suffered:

- "Forty Stripes Minus One" (2 Cor 11:24): This refers to the Jewish punishment of 39 lashes (known as Malkot), designed to avoid exceeding the Deuteronomic limit of 40.

- "Beaten with Rods" (2 Cor 11:25): These were Roman beatings, which were different from the Jewish lashings, indicating persecution from Roman authorities.

- "Brand-marks" (Galatians 6:17): Paul uses the Greek term stigmata, referring to scars from beatings, torture, or hard labor that marked him as a slave of Jesus Christ 

You saw that right: He said, “Five times I received… forty stripes minus one… three times I was beaten with rods…” (2 Corinthians 11:24–25)

And “I bear on my body the brand-marks…” (Galatians 6:17)

These were not symbolic wounds. They were physical scars on Paul's person from persecution, proof that he belonged to Christ—like a servant branded by his master in the ancient world.

So Paul’s apostolic authority wasn’t mere theory or some fantacy in his brain—it was authenticated by God with some suffering too (the Scriptures teach us this).

2) Your statement: “let no one trouble me” — what’s right and what needs correction

You’re right to desire freedom from:

-unnecessary drama

-sin

-wasted time

-foolishness

That sure aligns with:

“Make the best use of the time” (Ephesians 5:16)

“Avoid foolish controversies” (Titus 3:9)

Paul is not saying:

“I’m done with difficult people—leave me alone.” 

He might have felt like that. I don't see why he wouldn't feel like that. He was basically saying something like this:

“Stop questioning my gospel—I have already proven my allegiance to Christ through suffering.”

And even more importantly:

Jesus promised us believers the opposite of a bed of roses with a trouble-free path for real:

“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20)

“In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33)

So the Christian life is not: freedom from all trouble... but faithfulness To my best friend Jesus through the trouble.

3) A more biblically aligned version of what you’re saying

What you’re aiming for is good—but here’s how it becomes stronger and fully scriptural:

Not: “I don’t have time for trouble.”

But: “I won’t be distracted by sin or foolishness, and I will endure whatever comes for Christ.”

That matches Paul’s spirit exactly:

Focused (on the Word and His unchanging promises)

Unentangled (from the afairs of this world's system)

Unshaken by sufferings (that come from any direction)

4) The deeper spiritual principle

We indeed have trials and are not to think those are strange in this faith walk. There are two kinds of “marks” in a believer’s life really:

A. External (like Paul):

persecution

rejection

hardship for Christ

B. Internal (for every believer):

dying to self (Luke 9:23)

transformation of character (Galatians 5:22–23)

a crucified life (Galatians 2:20)

We each have our own that are seen or unseen. Not everyone will have Paul’s physical scars,

but every true follower will carry the cost of obedience. Take up your cross and obediently follow Him. 

Verse 18 — that's the real anchor

Paul ends with grace:

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

That’s crucial.

After all the conflict, correction, and suffering

grace has the final word.

I don't have time for the childish foolishness that hinders. Do you? I ain't opting to become the child that needs punishing or blocking, especially when I ain't out to do anything wrong. No time for the games of sinners. I've got better stuff to deal with. In the Lord we all do really. Let's do His will and not waste time with non-open arrogant thinkers. You too can choose to be humble, to walk free and circumspect in God's will, with open-hearted people (open to the truth) that God wants to reach and win!