People will try to make you heal quickly, like my wound. If not, they will try to label you and judge you, but in life, I have learned that healing takes time. But I can promise you that when Jesus heals, HE HEALS JUST IN TIME.
-Vionette LeGrand
I remember when I was a teenager, I found that I had a wound that would not heal. This wound was on my face, and I was embarrassed by it. People would always comment on the wound. When they saw the wound they would advise me on how to heal it. I tried others' advice because I was tired of them pointing it out and because I was embarrassed by it. I tried every remedy others gave me, but none of them worked. At that moment, I realized that the wound on my face would be there for a while. I just needed to leave it alone and let it heal with time. I wonder how many of us have wounds that will not heal? I also wonder how many of us have a wound that has caused pain and embarrassment.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when Jesus heals the sick women. This woman would experience shame and suffering for 12 YEARS! In Mark 5:24-34 it says,
"24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 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. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your sufferings.” 1
In Mark 5:25, we can see that this woman was subjected to bleeding for 12 YEARS! In those 12 years, not only was she suffering physically, but she was also suffering mentally. Why? Because she was also lonely. She was said to be "unclean". Back then, women who were in their period were considered unclean and were outcasts from the camp they lived in. Once the women stopped their menstrual cycle, they were allowed back into the camp. But the woman who was subjected to bleeding had a problem. Her bleeding never stopped. This woman's wounds were seen, and she lived a lonely life, outcasted by everyone she saw. I wonder how many of us can relate to this woman? We have wounds that require healing, but they will not heal. Because of this, we have been outcasted by friends, family, or even strangers. The friends that we thought would be our friends forever left us. The family member who saw our wound judged us and left us in our most vulnerable state, and just like the woman we were forced to endure the pain.
In Mark 5:26 the story continues, and it says, "26 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." 2 This woman was tired of being an outcast to the extent that she spent all of her money to be healed. The only problem was that the doctors and healers that she spent all her monies on made it worse not better. I remember when I had the wound on my face, I took others' advice, but it did not work. Some I would dare say, gave me advice without me even asking! I was reminded of the wound, and just like the woman, I was reminded of the lack of healing that was upon me, but good thing that God does not leave us unhealed!
In Mark 5:27-28 when the woman heard about Jesus, she came behind the crowd to touch him! Can I say how BRAVE that was? For this woman to fight through the crowd with fear, insecurity, pain, and suffering was not easy. Still, she chose her healing and Jesus instead of what others thought about her. Even though her wounds were displayed and she was known as "unclean" she chose Jesus and her healing over the opinion of other people. Choosing Jesus over the opinion of people is not easy. But I want to challenge you. What if your concerns about peoples' opinions of you are stopping you from the physical, spiritual, or mental healing in your life? Today I want to invite you to choose Jesus. The woman could have easily listened to all the people's judgment and turned away from her healing. She could have said, "These people are right. I am unclean, and I will never be healed." That thought would have been valid for her since the doctors could not heal her. But I love how she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Today I want to invite you in your pain to choose Jesus. In your lack of forgiveness, choose Jesus. Because in you choosing Jesus, He will heal you in time.
Now you might be thinking, I just do not have the strength Vionette. You do not know what I have been through. I am tired. Let me encourage you. Just like the sick woman, she did not have strength either. But she knew, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." This woman did not touch his body. She did not look upon His face, and His back was turned from her, but she knew "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." All you need to do is draw close enough to Him for your healing.
When the woman was healed Jesus realized that the power had gone away from Him. He asked, "Who touched me? His disciple then said, 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”3 Meaning Jesus, are you serious? Everyone is touching you. HELLO, we are in a crowd. You have to LOVE His disciples, always stating the obvious. This part always makes me chuckle. But I love that while others did not see this woman in the crowd or did but ignored her, including his disciple HE SAW HER. In this season of healing, you might not feel seen, but I want to tell you that GOD SEES you. You might have been outcasted, talked about, unfriended, or made to suffer in silence, but GOD SEES you. He sees you not because of your wound but because of your faith. That day the woman that was known as the woman who was "unclean" had a new name. Jesus called her "Daughter" for the first time in a long time she "belonged". Why because she drew close to him with her small faith.
You see her healing took time. But when she was fully healed it was at the PERFECT time. For those of you who have a wound of lack of forgiveness and you have tried to forgive. You have gone to the doctor. You have gone to the psychologist and have tried EVERYTHING, but it has gotten worse. You are tired of being judged and feel like an outcast today I want to encourage you. Just know that all you need to do is draw close enough to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. Why? Because just in time you will be healed. Just like Jesus said to His daughter "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
People will try to make you heal quickly, like my wound. If not, they will try to label you and judge you, but in life, I have learned that healing takes time. But I can promise you that when Jesus heals, HE HEALS JUST IN TIME.
Follow me on instagram at @vionettej . I would love to hear how this blog impacted your life for the best.
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1 “Bible Gateway Passage: Mark 5:24-34 - New International Version.” Bible Gateway, 2011. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+5&version=NIV.
2 “Bible Gateway Passage: Mark 5:26- New International Version.” Bible Gateway, 2011. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+5&version=NIV.
3 “Bible Gateway Passage: Mark 5:28- New International Version.” Bible Gateway, 2011. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+5&version=NIV.