Do you know the story of the woman in Luke 8:43-8 who was bleeding for 12 years and spent most of her life with physicians trying to find a cure, but couldn't find any. One day when Jesus and his disciples were near her she pushed and pushed through the crowd that was around Jesus and tried to touch the end of Jesus' garment because she knew if she just touched one time that she would be healed. At that moment the woman was persistent and wouldn't give up until she touched the end of his garment. Finally she touched the end of his garment and she was healed immediately. Jesus said "Who touched me?" Peter said "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." Jesus replied, "Someone touched me: I know that power has gone out of me". Then the woman, seeing she could not go unnoticed, came trembling at his feet, she told why she had touched him and how she had instantly been healed. Then he said to her "Daughter, your faith has made you whole. Go in peace".
In this story it shows how having a strong amount of faith, like this woman, is very important. I once had a couple of weeks that I couldn't really feel God and was trying my hardest to not lose the feeling of God's presence. I didn't stop until I could feel him or hear him again. I was kind of doing what the woman in this story was doing in a sense I was reaching out to Jesus. Pushing through the crowds and trying to get Jesus' attention. If you're going through a hard time and can't really feel God right now, continue on reaching out to Jesus like the woman in this story did, and don't give up. You sometimes have to push through the crowd to get Jesus' attention. Also another thing I was surprised about was at the end of the verse Jesus said "Daughter, your faith has made you whole, go in peace". So that means when we do reach out, our faith has made us whole. How amazing is that? I'm pretty sure Jesus' disciples were chuckling a little because so many other people were touching him in the crowd. But Jesus felt something different. He felt a strong faith, trust and hope.
Go throughout everyday of your christian walk reaching out to Jesus and don't give up, because he will reward you and will say to you like he said to the woman "Your faith has made you whole, go in peace".
Feel encouraged? Please share!