Take heart, daughter.
These are the words of Jesus to a woman who has endured bleeding for twelve years. She has pressed through a crowd. She has sought Jesus. She has touched the edge of His cloak. She is unclean. She shouldn’t be here. She is breaking all the rules. But she can’t hold back. Because she also knows what it’s like to be isolated and anxious, hopeful then devastated, discouraged and desperate to keep believing that God has healing in store for her.
Have you ever felt that way? Maybe you haven’t bled physically—but you’ve bled emotionally. Maybe the wound came from someone you love and should have been able to trust. Perhaps depression drained all the joy from your heart. Life circumstances might have cut you and you’re still trying to recover.
What I love about this biblical story is that Jesus doesn’t say, “Get well soon” or even “Be healed.” Everyone who knew the details of this woman’s story thought her biggest problem was losing blood. Jesus alone looked at her and saw that the biggest risk was that she could lose heart.
Losing heart means we stop believing things can get better.
Losing heart means we can’t seem to keep our grip on hope.
Losing heart means living tired and numb, going through the motions.
Losing heart means becoming disconnected from the truest parts of who we are.
Losing heart means we start saying, “This is just the way it is.”
We will all be tempted to lose heart at some point in our lives. It might come after years of something hard. It might happen suddenly because of an unexpected loss. It might not be one thing but many, a slow accumulation of hurts that steal our strength. Are you the woman pressing into Jesus today?
“Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.” (Matthew 9:22 NIV)
Jesus is turning toward you today. He sees your pain. He is saying to you, “Take heart, daughter.” These are words of affection and protection. They are an affirmation and invitation. They are full of tenderness and belonging.
What’s causing you to lose heart today? Whatever you’re facing, it matters to Jesus. He has seen all you have endured. He knows how many nights you’ve stared at the ceiling, trying to sleep. He has heard every prayer that feels like it’s still unanswered.
Jesus knows how hard it is sometimes to just keep trusting, keep pressing forward, keep believing that change is possible. He looks at you not with criticism but compassion, not pressure to hurry up your healing but infinite patience, not disapproval but deep love.
The woman who approached Jesus did what she could until Jesus did what only He can. She showed up. She dared to try. She took steps. So if you are in a season of waiting for healing, it is okay for you to do what you can too.
In my life, that has looked like saying “I’m not okay” to trusted friends, going to counseling, moving my body in healthy ways, looking for resources to help me learn and grow. It means asking, “What is the next small step I can take toward Jesus today?” and then doing so even on the days I don’t feel like it.
Of course, there are also meltdowns and detours, slip-ups and setbacks, moments when I want to just give up. That’s part of being human for all of us. What matters is that we keep going until the moment when we finally experience the healing we’ve been seeking. It is coming. I type that with hopeful tears in my eyes. It is not meant as a cliché or spiritual band-aid. I know full well it doesn’t take the bleeding away. But I’m choosing to keep believing today, and I’m inviting you to do the same with me.
Take heart, daughter.
Jesus spoke those words to a woman in a crowd; He is still speaking them to your heart now.
If you’re losing heart because you’ve been hurt by someone in your life, my online course Heal After You’re Hurt can help you heal and move forward. Find out more here.
