Scripture Reading
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” — Mark 5:25-29
I love being a woman – the fact that we are soft, delicate, and regal. I love that we can bring life into the world, nurture, and build. The list goes on. But if there’s one thing I don’t enjoy about being a woman, it’s having to endure a monthly period. I’ve often asked God whether that detail was really necessary. It’s not just the flow of blood—it’s the cramps, the bloating, the emotional highs and lows, and the fatigue that come with it.
So imagine a woman whose period never ended.
In Scripture, she is known simply as the woman with the issue of blood. Her name is never recorded, but her story is unforgettable. For twelve long years, she bled continuously. What began as a physical condition became a life-altering burden that affected every part of her existence.
The Pain of the Woman with the Issue of Blood
Beyond the bleeding itself, Scripture tells us she had “suffered many things from many physicians.” They likely subjected her to painful treatments, all while draining her financially. She spent everything she had in search of healing, yet instead of getting better, she only grew worse.
Think about the weight of those twelve years:
- Twelve years of physical pain and weakness.
- Twelve years of unsuccessful and painful treatments.
- Twelve years of financial hardship after spending everything she owned.
- And, according to the Law (Leviticus 15:25), twelve years of being ceremonially unclean—isolated, rejected, and cut off from normal life and worship.
This wasn’t just a medical condition. It affected every area of her life.
I imagine she was desperate—not simply because of the bleeding, but because this one affliction had created a ripple effect that touched every part of her existence.
Then she heard that Jesus was passing by.
Weak, yet determined.
Rejected, yet hopeful.
Broken, yet believing.
Unlike many others whom Jesus healed, she couldn’t simply walk up to Him. According to the law, she was ceremonially unclean and wasn’t supposed to mingle freely with the crowd. Perhaps that’s why she came up behind Him. Maybe she feared being noticed. Maybe she feared being rejected.
But fear didn’t stop her.
Despite the barriers before her, she found a way to reach her blessing.
Why She Touched the Hem of His Garment
Scripture says she touched the hem of His garment. That means she had to get low. She had to stoop beneath the crowd, surrounded by people’s feet. She may have been pushed aside, stepped on, or ignored. Yet she refused to let the crowd become her focus. Her eyes were fixed on the One who could change her life.
There’s a lesson for us in that.
When we’re trusting God for something, let’s not focus on:
- What people are saying.
- How long we’ve been waiting.
- How difficult the journey feels.
- Let’s focus on Jesus.
She Reached for Him When No One Else Would Touch Her
This woman fixed her gaze on the One who could heal her and said within herself, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
Her healing came in a way unlike any other recorded in Scripture.
She understood her circumstances. She knew she couldn’t approach Jesus in the conventional way because of the restrictions placed upon her. But instead of allowing those limitations to stop her, she found another way.
Her circumstances became the reason she pressed harder—not the excuse to give up.
Sometimes we need that kind of hope—a hope that refuses to surrender because of limitations.
This woman reached for Jesus instead of waiting for Jesus to reach for her. She believed that if Jesus carried the power to heal, then even touching the hem of His garment would be enough.
The Difference Was Faith
Remember, Jesus was surrounded by a crowd. Many people were touching Him, brushing against Him, perhaps even pulling at His clothes to get His attention. Yet none of them received what she received.
The difference wasn’t the touch.
The difference was faith.
Her hand reached for His garment, but her faith reached for His power.
May that be our story. Even when everything seems to be working against us, may we possess a faith that refuses to quit—a faith that presses through every obstacle until it reaches Jesus.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the example of this woman’s faith. Where I feel weak, weary, or unseen, help me press through — not focused on the crowd, the delay, or the difficulty, but fixed on You. Give me a faith that reaches out even when it cannot come the “conventional” way. I believe that where my hand meets Your power, my breakthrough begins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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If This Encouraged You…
If this message blessed you, would you share it with another woman who needs the reminder to persist in Faith.
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