Faith” 

Written by: Myesha Grant

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

“…….because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Mark 5:28

Faith is personal.

Faith, for me, is hoping for and working for something that I don’t have.  If I had it, then I wouldn’t need to hope for and or work for it.  With that as the starting point, I then go into a place of identifying what I want.  What is that “IT” that I do not have but I am hoping to get, achieve, see, attain? 

We get to a place of faith and process our faith from various standpoints- from personal experience, observation, instruction, desperation, etc. And the truth is, faith can oscillate depending on the circumstances surrounding the issue.  Sometimes we believe, sometimes we don’t; depending on what is pushing us, what we want, and how desperate we are to get it.

Our day-to-day actions are significant and are the best indicators of our faith.  Hebrews 11 tells us of various experiences of people in the BIBLE and that by faith so and so did such and such.  When you consider the account of the woman with the issue of blood in comparison with the people noted in Hebrews 11, what is noteworthy is that her account tells us the internal conversation she was having with herself throughout her faith journey. I believe everyone has some form of internal conversation throughout their faith journey.

The woman with the issue of blood was having an internal conversation that, at least on the surface, did not seem to include JESUS.  While at other times people went to JESUS or JESUS went to them, the account of the woman with the issue of blood seemed to indicate neither.  She moved to touch HIS clothes.  

Her’s is such an amazing example of faith to the point where JESUS told her that her faith – not HIS ability, love, or willingness –  made her whole.  This statement does not in any way undermine GOD’s ability in the moment.  What it does is highlight the fact that her personal actions driven by her faith had the greatest impact on her outcome.

It was her desperation and determination that propelled her into action to do any and everything that she could do to get to HIM to just touch the hem of HIS garment.  We sometimes get to the point of such desperation that we are willing to go out on a limb and try anything.  Desperation can make you try GOD in unconventional ways and trust HIM to do unconventional things.

I pray that in 2022 we never get to the point of total desperation because it hurts- life oftentimes hurts.  I do hope, however, that throughout our 2022 journey and all our life’s journeys we may all go after and touch HIM.  Faith does not come with a blueprint.  It is a personal journey we navigate internally and express externally.  It was her internal conversation that propelled her outward action. 

This year, I trust that we will have faith, we will move in faith, we will be strengthened by our faith, and we will be pushed by our faith.  I pray that our faith will stop GOD in HIS tracks and make HIM ask “Who touched me?”

REFLECTION

Faith is personal, it does not come with a blueprint.  It is a personal journey that we navigate internally.  What is happening internally determines how we operate externally.  Faith also sometimes does not have a point of reference and can be unconventional.  Our faith is based on the belief in who HE is. And, because HE is, HE can.

PRAYER

GOD, we are grateful that through YOUR Word we see the history.  We have seen what YOU can do and fully understand that there is no limit to YOUR power.  We set our mind to go forth knowing that no matter what has happened, no matter what is happening or will happen in our lives, no matter who is around us, we will move in faith. We will move in the type of faith that pulls virtue from YOU.  We thank YOU for being YOU and thank YOU for the strength and the faith that is in us.   Wherever we are lacking please strengthen our faith, our hope, our tenacity, our courage, and our resolve. We trust YOU and we thank YOU.  In JESUS’ name, Amen.