The Real Miracle: Having Faith After Years of Dealing With a Trial

In my New Testament class last week we discussed and analyzed the different passages regarding the miracles of Jesus. Reading these growing up I always thought that it was so lucky that these people were able to witness all of these physical, temporal miracles more readily than we might be able to recognize in our own time. Although the physical miracles are remarkable, in class we focused on a different side of the miracles that I had never really taken notice of and the effect this side had on these physical miracles to take place. 

The other side of these miracles are the spiritual miracles we can search for within these stories (I will be focusing on Matthew 9). The story I want to focus on is the story of the woman that with an issue of blood.

Matthew 9:21 "For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole" 

The woman in this story had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. As discussed in my class, sometimes when reading this we briefly say 12 years and don't quite take the time to really imagine it. Can you imagine bleeding non-stop for 2 years? How about 4? Can you imagine how many prayers this woman could have said and how hopeless one could feel if they hadn't been healed after 12 years of asking for a miracle? One might define her situation as hopeless, but she didn't. 

My teacher pointed out, and I also noticed, that in every movie attempt of this moment the woman is always sitting down and casually grabs the bottom of his garment. In the scriptures it says she "came behind him" and then touched his garment, which could mean that she was pushing through the crowd and bent down to touch the bottom of his garment. I like to picture a woman, mostly judged as unclean by those around her, anxiously engaged towards the Savior by pushing through the crowd and then reaching him and submitting in humility to His will, and that adds so much power to this story for me. 

This act was a pure act of faith. She still believed after years of waiting for a miracle, and she bent down (could this be symbolic of prayer or humility?) to touch his garment. She was made whole. 

Some miracles and blessings truly take time. 

This story reminds me of a quote by Elder Holland, “Don't you give up. Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.” 

Some sort of long-term trial might be holding you, the reader, back from truly loving God. It might be causing more shame or anger in your heart towards him for not having immediate results. But I echo the words of Elder Holland and would like to tell you to never give up for blessings will come. Never lose trust in God, even after years and years of possible discouragement. Trust in Him and lower into humility, as this woman did, to more happily submit to His will, and I promise you will be given peace in your afflictions and whether now or later, be made whole. 

Matthew 9:22 "Daughter, be of good comfort; Thy faith hath made thee whole."