There are many reasons why people could be hurting. They might have been let down by a friend, been through a relationship break-up, experienced cruel words, or, as in the case of the woman described in Mark 5, been suffering with an illness for a long period of time. We’re told this woman had spent all of her money, and the doctors could not find a cure. When we’ve been suffering for a long time, we can become discouraged and disappointed. We can wonder why God hasn’t stepped in and sorted our situation. We wonder if somehow it’s our fault. When we’re faced with someone who is hurting on this level, it can be hard to know how to help. Their discouragement can be deeply rooted. The way Jesus responded to this woman can help us know what to do. After she had touched his robe, and had experienced His healing, He turned and wanted to know who it was. He said: ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’ By calling her ‘daughter’, He spoke out her identity over her. He reminded her that she belonged to Him and that He saw her. When any of us are hurting, we need to be reminded that Jesus sees us and loves us. We need to be reminded that we’re His sons and daughters. Our Identity in God’s eyes is so important. When someone is hurting, we might not be able to fix the situation, but we can remind them that they are more than the hurt they’re experiencing. We can show them verses in the Bible which speak of God’s love and comfort. We can show them that they’re not defined by their problems. They’re defined by Christ.

What Now?

If you’re able to, remind the person you’ve been praying for over the last few days about their identity in Christ. Maybe send them a verse or just tell them that God loves them.