Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NLT
We may not know her name, but we can understand her story. We’ve all had moments where we’ve needed God to step in and do what only He can do.
Let’s walk through this passage! Grab your Bible and a notebook—this is going to be fun!
🔍 Who is she?
In Mark 5:25–26 We meet a woman who had been suffering for 12 years—labeled “unclean” under the law. Take a moment to read Leviticus 15:19–30. This will give yo9-10u a deeper understanding of what her life looked like.
Did you notice how it said she had gotten worse in Mark 5:26? It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the level of desperation she must have felt, with nothing left to spend and nowhere else left to turn.
She was not hopeless because she knew about Jesus.
With a crowd that big around them, she obviously wasn’t the only one to touch Him. But she was the one to reach out to Him with faith. We’re not talking about a tingling, feel-good sensation—we’re talking about a deep understanding and belief in who Jesus really is.
Think about it with me for just a moment. Technically, if Jesus were any other man, touching Him would have made Him unclean. But something about the revelation of who Jesus was opened her eyes to the point where she knew if she touched Him, she wouldn’t be tainting Him—He would be setting her free.
🔍 What happened?
In Mark 5: 27-30 She took a quiet but bold step of faith, she reached through the crowd and touched His clothes. The Bible describes a simultaneous reaction. Immediately, she was healed, and in that same moment, Jesus felt power leave His body.
I love this part of the story, and I believe it shows us something very important:
When we pursue God in faith, it never goes unnoticed.
Her healing wasn’t this neutral wave of the hand that Jesus didn’t even notice happening. This was an encounter that changed her life. It mattered to her, and it mattered to God.
🔍 When did this take place?
Id we look at Mark 5:21-23, we see Jesus was on His way to heal the daughter of a very prominent figure. But God isn’t moved by status. The Bible tells us that in Him there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, because the only title that really matters is “child of God.”
That is not something any of us can buy or earn. That gift of salvation is given to all—because and only because of the grace of God. I’m so thankful that our God doesn’t play favorites!
🔍 Where was she?
In the middle of a crowd. At this point, she has been healed and made well, and now Jesus is looking for her. In Mark 5:33, she steps forward. She continues to do the very thing we saw her do in the beginning of the story—she pursues Jesus.
In the ambiguity the crowd gave her, she pursued Jesus. In her sickness and fatigue, she pursued Jesus. Now here, in verse 33, she is exposed in front of everyone. With fear and trembling, she still pursued Jesus.
We have accounts of people who were healed by Jesus and just went on about their lives, but she didn’t run. She didn’t hide. We can see where her hope was—in Jesus.
🔍 Why was this story included?
The Bible tells us that Jesus did way more than what we actually see written down (John 21:25). So the stories we do have—they’re there on purpose. They show us who God is and what the gospel looks like in real life.
And this story shows us a lot:
♡ First, Jesus isn’t moved by status. Read Galatians 3:28. In Mark 5:21–24, Jesus was on His way to help Jairus—a respected religious leader—but He stopped for a woman everyone else had pushed aside. What people ignored, Jesus noticed.
♡ Second, nothing is too far gone for Him. Read Matthew 19:26. Twelve years. No money. No answers. Getting worse instead of better… and still, she wasn’t out of reach.
♡ Third, Jesus is the one who makes us clean. Read John 1:11–12. What the law called unclean, Jesus restored completely—not just her body, but her place, her identity, and her dignity.
Do you remember where she was? Reread Mark 5:31—in a crowd surrounding Jesus, pressing Him. But the woman with the issue of blood received Him, she pursued Him, and she was called daughter (Mark 5:34).
He sees the ones people overlook.
He responds to real faith.
And He restores what the world has written off.
📖 As You Read
Don’t rush this part. Slow down and sit with the story.
1. Notice her focus. In Mark 5:28, what was she telling herself?
What did she believe about Jesus that made her press through the crowd like that?
2. Check where your mind is landing. Read Colossians 3:2 — “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
If she had stayed focused on her limitations, do you think she still would’ve reached for Him?
✍️ Journaling Question
Read Isaiah 26:3 — “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on you, because they trust in you.”
What do you notice about the connection between where your mind stays… and the peace you feel?
Are there areas in your life where shame is still calling the shots instead of your identity as God’s child?
Imagine for a moment what life might look like if you fully embraced being God’s adopted daughter. How might that change the way you see yourself… and the way you approach Jesus?
