God is Never too Busy

There is no doubt that it can be difficult to fall short of our goals. This is especially true when it comes to life-changing events. We desire a God-loving spouse. We want to work in a job that honors God. These are common to most of us. We also desire good health, a good job, and a nice place to call home. Sometimes we ‘get what we want’ and sometimes we do not.

Such was the story of the woman who had been ill for many years. After spending her entire life savings, she was without any other chance of being healed. Then one day, Christ was walking by her. This woman never gave up for a better life. She secretly turned to God and was healed instantly.

At that time, a great crowd followed Jesus and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?'” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Mark 5:24-34

The Church does not share this story to let us believe we will always be made well. Experiences tell us that is simply not the truth. Many are not made well, and we all eventually die. The Church shares this story to teach the power of turning to God with hope and faith. God used the woman’s faith to teach the lesson to others.

Today is the Feast of Saint Marina the Great Martyr. Her story teaches us faith and hope. She inspires us to never give up. Her story also teaches us about humility. She approached Christ in secret. She didn’t want a fuss. She didn’t want attention. She clearly didn’t want everyone to know she was there.

How is that different from our going to Christ. A popular trend in Protestantism is to offer a ‘witness’ in front of your peers. This witness is meant to inspire others to a life of faith. The woman with the flow of blood made not such witness voluntarily. She preferred to keep her miracle a secret.

You would think that after spending your entire life savings she would have cried from the mountain tops about her miracle. She did not. It was only when Christ ‘called her out’ that she came forward. It wasn’t the miracle Christ was showing. It was her never-ending faith He wanted the crowd to know.

There is one final lesson to learn from this story. God always hears us. He always knows what we need. He always has time for us. We don’t need to worry that He is too busy. I hear that sometimes. “God is too busy for my little problem.” God is never too busy for us. We just have to remember to never give up.