April 2026 Writen by Amy Davies
Jesus’ Encounter with the Bleeding Woman
Welcome to the final edition of our deep dive into Colossians 2:6-7, where we will explore the last part of this wonderful passage:
Strengthened in Faith
Strength and faith. Two powerful words, each feeding the other. At times it can take great strength to step out in faith, when the future is uncertain and we cannot see what God is doing. Perhaps we find no peace within and don’t know which way to turn. The inner strength of God’s power through the Holy Spirit living inside us gives us the courage to step out and follow Him. Whilst faith, even at our weakest points, produces new strength as we cling onto the truth of God’s word, remembering all He has done before, building confidence in Him with each step we take.
To be strengthened in faith refers to building a strong trust and reliance on God and His Biblical promises, no matter what our circumstances. As we live our lives in Him, rooted and built up in Christ, we walk in personal relationship with Jesus, empowered by a conviction in His goodness and mercy. It’s about believing what we cannot physically see: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and certainty of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.
One woman in the Bible who was strengthened in her faith was the woman with the issue of blood. We find her story in three of the four gospels: Matthew 9, Mark 5 and Luke 8. Today we will be looking at Mark 5:24-34.
Faith in Suffering
Imagine this woman, bleeding for twelve years. Twelve years. It’s exhausting enough for a female to manage their menstrual cycle for a few days each month, but to bleed for so many years - it’s hard to imagine! The pain, the fatigue, the disgrace - the shame - not to mention the isolation - this woman would likely have been excluded for over a decade.
Why such a severe response to a condition of no fault of her own? The Jewish Law. In Leviticus 15:19-33 we are informed that a bleeding woman, even during her period, is considered unclean. Not just the woman herself, but anything or anyone she touches becomes unclean, and must wash, but even then they remain unclean until the evening. If she was married, intimacy would have been a challenge - any intimate relations would result in the man becoming unclean for seven days. And if the bleeding was to continue? The woman would remain unclean for as long as she bled. Twelve years of uncleanliness. Twelve years of social ostracisation. Twelve years of loneliness and heartache. Twelve years of suffering - a great deal of suffering under the care of many doctors. Many doctors - no stone left unturned - all her money gone, yet no healing, no miracle cure - growing worse rather than better.
This woman must have felt hopeless. Respect flew out the window long ago, the lowest of the low, she would have been left without family, without friends, on the receiving end of fear and filthy looks. Financially ruined. She had exhausted all her options.
Until… she heard about Jesus. Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness. Hope restored, she immediately acted in faith. “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.””
What mind-blowing faith. For a woman who had endured disappointment after disappointment. A woman who was deteriorating rather than improving. Yet she heard about Jesus, and not only did she believe he could, she believed he would. To touch his cloak was a risky idea - she would have to jostle through the crowds, she was likely known by her condition - the woman with the issue of blood - she would have faced public humiliation and ridicule, anyone she touched would be deemed unclean. But this woman was bold and courageous. It started with a thought, but it progressed into action.
Active Faith
This part of the passage has a wealth of knowledge to share, lest we skip over it. It is deeply significant that this woman’s faith began with a thought. So often, the battle is in the mind - we can win or lose based on the thoughts we choose to accept or reject. Satan loves to feed us lies - we’re not enough, God doesn’t love us, He’s willing to heal those around us, but where is our healing? Studies suggest the average person processes thousands of thoughts a day. No wonder we’re exhausted! If we stopped to take a look, how many of our thoughts would be negative as opposed to faith filled? I’m sure we could all learn from the example of this precious woman, willing to simply trust and believe in the impossible. Not only to believe, but to be strengthened by her faith, enough to be bold, take a risk and put it into action - she heard, she came, she touched.
Faith is more than just believing. Just as James says in 2:14-26, even Satan believes in God - faith without works is dead. Not that we have to earn our place in heaven, but faith is naturally an outworking of our inner thoughts and beliefs. Faith empowers action, however small.
We have faith in a chair, so we sit on it. We have faith in traffic lights, so we stop and go at their command. We have faith an aeroplane will land safely at our chosen destination, so we book a flight. Opportunity for faith is all around us, and our faith in God should be no different. We trust, therefore we act. Faith is active, not passive. God’s gift of adventure is an invitation for us to get involved, holding His hand - no more sitting on the sidelines.
Back to the story… this brave woman ventures out of her hiding place. She stoops low, I almost envisage her creeping through the crowd, perhaps her face covered in a headscarf, shielding her identity. Notice how she touches the edge of his cloak - the fringe of his garment (Luke 8:44) - the part dragging in the dirt, down on the ground. I wonder if it was the pain that put her there, or her place in society. No matter, for she actively participated - she thought, she reached out, she immediately received her healing.
At this point I’m cautious to add a caveat - I know for myself I have often seen others healed when I have not experienced it for myself. I have sought help from many professionals, tried different medications, attended countless Christian conferences offering hope of healing. I have cried out to God in prayer, stepped out in faith for a miracle, without seeing one. But what I have experienced is the goodness of God. I’m on a pathway to understanding that God is good all the time, even when I cannot see it or feel it, even if my circumstances suggest otherwise. God is journeying with me to build a deeper faith. Whilst I haven’t been miraculously healed, looking back I see many times where the Lord has placed His hand on my life and given me the hope and strength to continue. I have been strengthened in my faith, just simply to put one foot in front of the other and live another day.
So if you haven’t received the miracle you have been hoping for, take heart. Others may be healed overnight, but it doesn’t mean you’re insignificant. It doesn’t make you inferior. It doesn’t mean your faith isn’t good enough for it only takes faith as small as a mustard seed to move a mountain (Matthew 17:20). God has a perfect plan for each of us. This woman had to get up day after day, experience setback after setback. Yet on hearing the good news, she was strengthened in her faith to try again. Never give up. God’s timing is perfect and He is with you in the journey, it’s just as important as the final destination.
Faith Rewarded
As we come to the end of the passage, what I find most beautiful is how Jesus takes time to stop and publicly acknowledge this woman’s faith. He was already enroute to heal another when this unusual encounter took place. A little girl’s life was in the balance, the daughter of Jairus the synagogue leader. Yet Jesus was willing to pause - faith matters, it pleases our Lord. And her reward for daring to believe, for fulfilling her thought of faith? Not only freedom from suffering, but a blessing from the King of Kings, a seal of security, a place in the royal family - “Daughter” - one word spoken publicly replacing years of shame with total acceptance, affirming her reinstatement in society.
What overwhelming joy she must have felt, whilst the Bible doesn’t record the outcome, I like to think she would have been overflowing with thankfulness. Faith and thankfulness go hand in hand, as we trust in God, as we take His hand in faith, remembering all He has done and assured by the promise of all He is yet to do, we respond with hearts of gratitude, praising His Holy name.
