Whining

Not the kids, me. Another great devotional from Proverbs 31 Ministry ...The author sets it up with talking about a PMS week.

Matthew 9:20-22 I read, “Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched [Jesus’] robe. She was thinking to herself, ‘If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well.’ Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: ‘Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well.’ The woman was well from then on.” (The Message)
Here was a woman who had been sick for a long time. I can imagine she’d tried many other remedies, I imagine she’d shed many tears, and I imagine she’d had some moments of hopelessness. Finally, however, the Messiah had arrived, and she was filled with renewed hope. Her faith caused her to reach out to Jesus.

Here I was suffering from something relatively minor, and all I did was whine. I have ready access to the Savior every moment of my life simply because I’m His child, yet I had failed to turn to the only One who could make me better.

Sometimes I mistakenly think I need huge faith to pray that God will heal me. Notice, however, in Matthew 9 that these verses don’t say anything about great faith. Just enough faith. That’s all we need – just enough faith for the situation we’re in.

Sometimes we mistakenly think that if we’re fearful or doubting, that we then must not have enough faith to ask God for what we need. Not true. Again look at the verses in Matthew. The sick woman was probably fearful. After all, Jesus said to her “Courage daughter.” I can imagine that she had to muster all her courage to do such a little act, just touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak.

But it was enough. Jesus stopped for her. He noticed that little touch, even as He was on His way to another very important mission – He was going to heal a ruler’s daughter. He stopped for a woman who just touched His garment.

As I came to another verse that morning, today’s key verse in John 5:6, I was convicted by the question Jesus asked the sick man: “‘Do you want to get well?’” I sensed Jesus asking me the same question, Do you want to get well, or do you just want to whine and feel sorry for yourself?

I don't want to whine, I just want you to heal me :)