In the Midst of Pain – by Bermie Dizon

We have all experienced pain or discrimination at some point in our lives, but there is one powerful story in the Bible where a woman endured both simultaneously. This took place during Jesus’ ministry while He was walking with His disciples.

When she heard about Jesus, the woman came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, believing, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been freed from her suffering. At once, Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched My clothes?”

The disciples, seeing the crowd pressing around Him, replied, “You see the people crowding against You, and yet You can ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus kept looking to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came forward. Trembling with fear, she fell at His feet and told Him the whole truth. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mark 5:27-34, NIV).

Although the woman’s name is not mentioned, her remarkable story of faith continues to inspire us never to give up. She had been living in the shadows, but she bravely stepped forward, determined to get closer to Jesus. Despite being considered an outcast due to her condition, she took the risk of approaching the Lord.

There are times when we find ourselves in a similar place. We may feel stuck in our pain, worrying that things will never change. Yet, like the woman, we can choose to press on in faith. Her story reminds us that there is always more to discover in our relationship with Jesus. We don’t have to remain trapped in our struggles, blind to the new opportunities God is opening for us.

The world is full of bad news, and perhaps we are carrying bad news of our own. It can be overwhelming and confusing. Yet, God reveals Himself to us, walking with us through the crowds of our lives, helping us see Him amid our struggles. Remember, this woman had been suffering for 12 long years. She had visited many doctors, spent everything she had, and only grew worse. According to the customs of the time, she was considered unclean—sick, broke, and marginalized. But Jesus knew her situation, and He wanted us, as readers, to learn from her example.

It was her faith in Jesus that empowered her to overcome her pain, and when she reached out to Him, it changed everything.

We often feel stuck in our struggles, believing that our pain and circumstances will never change. Yet, this story reminds us of that faith and the courage to seek Jesus can lead to profound transformation. Even when obstacles seem to surround us, Jesus is there, ready to respond to our faith and bring healing to our lives. Let us take the risk of faith and trust that Jesus is near, moving through the crowds of our struggles.

Excerpted from “God in Every Step” now available at Amazon.com. Bermie Dizon is a husband, father, grandfather and retired pastor living in Southern California.