Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour. -Matt 15:28
After restoring to perfect health, the daughter of a distressed mother who followed Him with unceasing pleas for help, Jesus turns and praises the woman for her exceptional faith. This woman had come under the heavyweight of distress. But, you see, for believers, anguish often has sharp eyes to lead us to discover and experience God's power and loving care. In her grief, the mother found Jesus as the one who could answer her concerns; so, she persisted in her pleas for help.
It's unusual for Jesus to discourage the people who went to Him for help. In her case, the Lord acted as if His ears were not meant for her. On top of the silence, the Lord insisted that she didn't deserve to get His help. But to this distressed mother, Jesus' silence and discouraging words would not trigger any change of mind in her to follow him and seek what she wanted. She had found God, and nothing will stop her from experiencing His help. The unflinching trust she developed in Jesus became the source of her breakthrough. It is written in the Bible, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rm 8:35).
From the action of the distressed mother, we find some hopeful lessons. The fact that Jesus resolved the woman's problem because she was willing to endure the silence and the discouragement leads us to discover that sometimes, even the approach of God's help can be preceded with considerable anxiety. Remember that as heavy winds precede the storm, so may harder moments strike us just when there is the appearance of God’s favor. Great fear and troubles may befall us just when God is about to act in our favor.
Take to heart. Have the patience to persevere. Let your anxiety and troubles help you to see and discover that God has the solutions for every situation we can face as Christians. It is often the case that unyielding faith and trust in God lead to breakthroughs for Christians. You too can experience the power of Jesus for your breakthrough in the situation that is bother you at this moment. Prayer blessings: Lord, as those who sow in tears reap with shout of joy, let me experience your kindness and overpowering hand in all situations that call for your immediate action. Amen.