Woman With an Issue of Blood

QUESTION: Jesus healed a woman with an issue of blood in the Bible, why won't He heal me?

ANSWER:

In Luke's gospel we read one account of the woman with an issue of blood. Luke 8:43-48 says, "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.' But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.' Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'"

Due to the greatness of the crowd, it took determination and desperation for this woman to press through the mass of people to just simply touch Jesus. He wanted the woman and the crowd to know that His garments had not caused her to be healed, but the strength of her faith.

Over and over again we read that faith was the key, as in this situation, that led to healing. When He healed two blind men. He said, "According to your faith will it be done to you" (Matthew 9:29). Acts 3:16 says, "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." In Mark 2:5 we read, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'" And later in verse 11: "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."

It, of course, makes sense then that in the absence of faith, healing may not take place. In Mark 6:5-6 it says that few were healed and Jesus "was amazed at their lack of faith." And again in Luke 9:41, Jesus says, "O unbelieving and perverse generation" when asked why His disciples could not heal a young boy.

But Scripture reports that healings did not take place in a variety of other situations. Paul, a tremendous man of faith and a mighty minister in the early church said about his own infirmity in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"

Not all are healed because infirmities can teach us valuable lessons about our faith. Psalm 119:71 says, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. " And in Romans 5:3, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance."

The lessons about healing may direct our focus. When Jesus was told that His friend Lazarus was sick, he remained where he was for two more days, saying, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory. . ." (John 11:4). When Jesus arrived at the location, Lazarus was dead. Instead of healing Lazarus, Jesus raised Him from death. We may miss Jesus' very important message if we are focused only on being healed from our disease and not on the Savior who heals. Often when Jesus healed in the gospels, He told the person that was healed not to tell anyone about being healed. He did not want people to focus on His ability to work miracles but on the glory of God.

Finally, not all are healed because it is God's ultimate decision to heal or not to heal. We know that God is compassionate and merciful and that nothing is impossible for Him. He has authority over all disease and sickness and can choose to heal whomever He chooses, whenever He chooses. We don't always know all of the answers as to why. We do know though that His ways are higher than ours. Furthermore, we know that He promises in Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."