ISSUES?

"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all of her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, came behind Him [Jesus], and touched the hem of His garment: and immediately the issue of blood was healed.

And Jesus said, 'Who is this that touched Me?'
And when all denied, Peter said, 'Master, the multitudes press Thee and crush Thee.'
But, Jesus said, 'Someone did touch Me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from Me.'

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched Him, and how she was healed immediately. And He [Jesus] said unto her, 'Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.'"
                                                                                                                                        Luke 8:43-48




Exhaustion pulsed through her veins into the very marrow of her bones. This exhaustion extended far beyond the  physical realm. She had given all that she could give and she was spent in every way- physically, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, and even financially. She had toughed it out for such a long time that the true realization that her burden was too heavy to bear become a gradual one. Today, however, there was no doubt in her mind.

Misery and affliction had been her closest companions for twelve long years as she pursued resolution from every available source. And yet, it had been to no avail. That is, until the day she determined in her heart that she would touch the Only One who could genuinely bring restoration to her body, soul, and spirit. Her complete healing came when, in total honesty, she came to the feet of Jesus.

Desperation drove her to where true help could be found. While her circumstances were dramatic, she chose to not stay stuck in the drama. In her core, she was determined to : find God's will, submit to it, and declare it to the world! She would not blame anyone or anything for what she was experiencing. She would not allow excuses to deprive her of God's very best in her life.

Whether or not we suffer with physical limitations or illnesses, we all have issues that we are faced with daily. They may involve: marriage, job, prodigals, mental illness, finances, conflict, demands, addictions, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, fear, as well as societal pressures and problems. Sometimes we perceive the issues around us correctly, and sometimes we do not.

Regardless of whether we think we have an accurate understanding,  the first thing we should do is to seek God's perspective on what we are dealing with and then come into alignment with what the Bible has to say about our problems. When God showed the prophet, Daniel, some issues that would occur in the future, Daniel did not understand. He said, "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, 'O my Lord, what shall be the issue of these things?'" (Daniel 12:8).

At least Daniel understood what he did not understand. He had insight and he also had the humility to ask God for help. He knew where to turn and he had the resolve to walk it out to its completion.

One of the problems we have created in our microwave society is that we want a quick fix. If given the option, we would prefer not to dig down and do the hard character-building work that God would have us to do. We want an instantaneous, drive-thru answer, and if that doesn't work then we want something or someone to numb the pain. Oh yeah, and we want that quickly too.

There are three major areas of misperception that we see today: who God is, who we are, and who others are. If we perceive incorrectly in any of these areas concerning an issue in our lives, we will have major problems. And, if we compound these problems by the insatiable need to be right, we will quickly get stuck on stupid.

The book of Proverbs tells us to "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above everything else you guard, for out of it flow the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23).  We do this by daily putting on a spirit of humility and asking God to show us the barriers in our life and the things that would separate us from Him and from others? Then, in meekness and in repentance, we ask the Holy Spirit to remove the bits of a stony heart and replace them with a softness and tenderness for Him.

A soft heart is what the woman with the issue of blood had. She also accurately perceived who Jesus was. She knew that He had healed others and she was confident that He could heal her too. When she saw Him, she saw the love and compassion in His eyes and she made a decision to trust in His goodness.

She put her faith in the deity and sovereignty of her Savior, even at great risk to herself. Even though she was considered ceremonially unclean, she pushed her way through the crowd to get to her King. No one or nothing would stand in he way. She had a need and she was confident that He was the One who would meet that need.

She also had an accurate perception of herself. She understood that her circumstances were dire, but she looked beyond them to see that she was a beloved daughter of God. She was  secure in Him and she would not allow her insecurities to prevail and to steal her miracle.

By societies' standards she was not an important person. But, in God's economy, there was no one more important. Not coincidentally, she touched the hem of Jesus' garment while He was on His way to heal Jairus' daughter. Jairus was a wealthy, prominent citizen who had far more social standing than she did, but she believed that Jesus loved her just as much. She would not allow a faulty self-image to rob her of her blessing.

She also had an accurate perception of the people around her. Even though the crowd around her was sizable and pressing hard against her body, she had not come for their approval. Therefore, she was not intimidated by either the masses nor the status of those who had come to see Jesus.

She was on a mission and she would not be deterred. Her heart was pure and she was willing to persevere and do the thing that challenged her. Therefore, God honored her faith and commitment, and she was made whole!

Unwilling to keep quiet regarding what Jesus had done, she seized the opportunity to confess Christ and glorify God. This was so easy to do because she had been able to meet Him face to face and receive His warm words of love and comfort. She could do no less than to share the Good News with others.

Her trial ended  and her suffering ceased. Her words inspired Jairus, who would soon learn that his sick daughter had died. (Fortunately, the same Jesus that healed the woman with the issue of blood also helped Jairus and raised his daughter from the dead!). This woman who had touched Jesus, and had been touched by Him, would never be the same. She exchanged her weakness and exhaustion for God's presence and power. Her life morphed into a life of purpose and victory and a testimony for all to see!

God offers each one of us the same promise of victory. We must choose whether we will bring our issues to the feet of Jesus or whether we will allow them to expand and grow heavier. It is far more productive to exchange our issues for His touch of wisdom, knowledge, and insight. When these are utilized along with an accurate assessment of God, self, and others, we will have no choice but to walk right out of our issues into the spacious place of promise. What a beautiful exchange!


"God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself."
                                                          Dietrich Bonhoeffer