When Will the Bleeding Stop?

A plate came barreling down on my forehead one dreadful night in July two years ago. Blood soaked my glasses, covered my hands, and dripped on the floor. My crime was opening a cabinet door. Crying out to the Lord in the emergency room, I wailed, “when will the bleeding stop?” Thirty minutes, one shot to numb the area, and four stitches later, the bleeding stopped, and my healing began.

Twelve Years of Suffering

My recovery lasted a few weeks. The “Woman with an issue of Blood” however, suffered for 12 long years. How would you like to be known for your most debilitating issue? This six-word name is how we know her. Three of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us her story. And from what I observed reading through the scriptures, she had more than one issue.

More Than One Issue

We could say she was a woman with a financial issue. She spent all she had, and still, she suffered. She was a woman with a religious issue. Due to her bleeding, she was unclean and therefore was cut off from worshipping in the temple. Her unclean state excluded her from connecting with other people—which is a relational issue. I wonder if she too, cried out, “when will the bleeding stop?”

Medical. Financial. Religious. Relational. All four issues boldly reached out in faith to touch the tassel of Jesus’ prayer shawl. Her issues brought her despair, but her faith was the catalyst for releasing her healing. Jesus makes that fact known.

Jesus responded, “Beloved daughter, your faith in me released your healing. You may go with my peace.” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭47-‭48‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Please don’t think I’m implying that a lack of faith blocks healing. Scripture is clear that mustard seed-sized faith is enough to move mountains. Faith and despair often sit side by side in the same heart.

The night of my accident I asked my husband to drive me to a private hospital instead of the public one. I knew that I would get the best treatment there. Her faith drove her to the best place to get healing. Jesus. When will the bleeding stop? I can’t answer that. But I do know, whether it’s a process of healing, like mine, or instantaneous like hers, the bleeding will come to an end. Keep pressing in, keep holding on, beloved child of God, your healing will come.