The emptiness is real. The heartache cuts deep. The loneliness feels like abandonment. The tears flow freely. There is no longer any room for me.
Do the words relate to you at all? Have you ever felt that way?
I know I have. But here’s the thing I have learned... all that chatter starts in your head and is plain nonsense. That is the devil playing mind games with you. And if YOU allow him to keep talking to you that way, he has won the battle. You gave him the power to win.
If you have any doubts about how precious and valuable you are, listen up.
There is a story in the bible that talks about a woman. A woman who felt many of the same feelings that I mentioned above. She probably had it a lot worse than us. But that is neither here nor there.
Here’s my paraphrase of her story or Read from the Bible Luke 8:43-48
She bleeds for 12 years. She is viewed as having a disease. As being unclean and not holy. Anyone with whom this woman touched was also then considered unclean. This “diseased woman” was not able to enter the temple or keep the company. Meaning no one wanted to be around her. (That sounds pretty darn rough, right?)
A day arrived when this woman was in the same city as Jesus. This woman knew Jesus could heal her. This woman knew that if she just touched him that she would be healed. But she had no way of getting close to him. Remember she is not only unclean but an outcast.
Spoiler Alert-she touched his garment and was healed.
But I don’t even think that was the best part of the story. Stay with me.
My biggest takeaway was how strong the bleeding woman’s faith was. She has been bleeding for 12 years. 12 long years. She was cast aside, ignored, unloved, not cared for 12 years. Probably even forgotten about in many circles. Yet still, she felt confident in the fact that all she needed was a touch of this garment to be healed. Just a touch.
Not sitting beside Jesus. Not physically talking to Jesus. Not having Jesus’ hands on her physically. Just a small touch on his way by would heal her. And then, by her small touch, that no one saw, Jesus felt her. Jesus called her out of the shadows. Jesus wanted to know her name. So as she sat there fearful of everyone knowing the “unclean woman” touched Jesus, all Jesus wanted was to let her know he saw her. And she was loved. Jesus validated her! And you!
So all that to say, that we need to focus on Jesus’ love for us and not what the world thinks. He knows my name and loves me. Just like he knows your name, loves you, and wants a relationship with you! He sees you!
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