Beauty In The Beast: How To Suffer Well预览

 Crazy faith = Crazy results

Suffering can make you ‘crazy’ in a good way! 

In Mark 5 we read of the famous account of the woman with the issue of blood. This woman, unnamed and shamed by her condition, did what many in that time would have considered ‘crazy’. To press through the crowd before her, approach Jesus, God in human flesh, and not touch his physical body, but touch the hem of his garment believing that she would be made well.

How on earth did she think that touching Jesus’ robe would end her suffering? The same suffering that doctors could not end. The same suffering that cost her everything (verse 26). Yet, she just knew that in the presence of Jesus, there was and is hope for healing. This is what I call crazy faith. A faith that transcends reality. A faith that does not make sense. 

The visual of this woman pressing through the crowd to faithfully touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, implores us to PRESS through our suffering and touch Jesus. 

How do we touch the hem of Jesus’ garment? What does that look like in practice? 

• Press past your doubts into the truth and authority of His Word concerning you.
• Touch the hem of His garment through worship.
• Touch the hem of His garment through prayer.
• Touch the hem of His garment through fellowship.

We’ll delve more into the beauty of worshipping, praying and fellowship through suffering, in the coming days of this devotional.

When I was suddenly diagnosed with a rare and serious illness called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), I read the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) report about SJS which said the following: “There is a significant mortality from SJS. Sometimes the degree of external and internal damage and subsequent physiological disruption is so rapid and overwhelming that death seems unavoidable”. 

On reading this, I knew that I needed a ‘crazy’ level of faith to avoid the ‘unavoidable'. 

I meditated on the words of Jesus in Mark 5:34 and read the same verse in different versions.

“Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you.” — Mark 5:34 (TPT)

“Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith [your personal trust and confidence in Me] has restored you to health; go in peace and be [permanently] healed from your suffering.”” — MARK 5:34 (AMP)

“And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.””— Mark 5:34 (NKJV)

In Mark 5:34, the words of Jesus to me as His daughter stirred up my faith. 

To 'dare', is 'to have the courage to contend against’. I dared to contend against the NHS report concerning my diagnosis. I dared to contend against what I could see with my physical eyes which was near-death. I dared to contend against my doubts. I dared to believe that God had already healed me. I put my personal trust and confidence in Him and let go of the trust and confidence that I had in myself or other humans. And now I dare you to do the same!