Mark 5:34 -- On Faith and Wholeness

"And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."
Mark 5:34


I like the idea that faith in Christ can make us whole. It seems like maybe tapping into truth... understanding and believing in what Christ can do in our lives, even if we don't know exactly how. This woman had every reason not to believe that she could be cured, but Christ gave her hope, and tapping into that power brought her healing and wholeness.

We all want to be whole, but it's a tough thing sometimes, having faith. We absorb the world too much, learning to doubt--and we trust ourselves a little bit too much as well, thinking that we know better how life works than God does. It's hard to let go of doubt and pride and to draw on that childlike faith that God can and will make things better.

Additionally, even when we do dare to think that, it's almost as a demand. We want a miracle on our terms, on our timetable, rather than trusting God to do as he wills. I think faith is somewhere in-between a simple hope and an urgent demand... the way Christ prayed "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39).

Today, let's work on our trust in God, learning not only to believe that he can do miracles, but that he wants to help us become whole, and that he knows best about how to answer our prayers.  Hope and belief are huge, of course, but I think that is the bulk of faith... being willing to accept whatever God has in store for us.