Why is it, when we reach out to God, we do not get the breakthrough that we desire?

Isn’t it so easy to ask ourselves that question? Especially when things in our life isn’t going how we want them to go?

The other day I was reading the story about the woman with the issue of blood. This story was found in Luke 8.

To paraphrase, there was a woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years. She went to various doctors and no one could heal her. When Jesus was walking in a crowd she managed to touch the hem of His garment, immediately her bleeding stopped. Jesus asked, “who touched me?” Peter and those with Him basically said, “You’re walking in a crowd, there are people up against You, touching You and You are asking who touched You?”

Stay with me yall and keep in mind I am paraphrasing…

Jesus responded, “somebody touched Me, virtue has went from Me.”

(Online source: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208:43-48&version=KJV)

OK, pump the breaks. Lets revisit my opening question…

Why is it, when we reach out to God, we do not get the breakthrough that we desire?

My response is, are we touching God in complete faith?

This isn’t a matter if God can deliver you or not. That is an automatic yes. What we (including myself) need to start do is evaluating ourselves, our heart.

Are we at the point of desperation, longing for deliverance.

The woman with the issue of blood went to physicians seeking and longing to be healed.

Matthew 7:7-13 King James Version (KJV)

⁷ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

12 years she went through this. She was at a point of vulnerability. He was her only hope.

She touched the hem of His garment. from my understanding the hem is the bottom of the garment. This speaks volumes. She didn’t tap Him on the shoulder, rub His arm, or hold His hand. I can imagine her being on the filthy, rough ground, in the midst of a crowd of people, reaching out in total desperation, not caring who saw her and what they had to say.

At that moment all she saw was her Savior. The One who has the solution.

She sacrificed all she had, reputation and all, just to get some of what Jesus had.

Are you sacrificing all you have for Jesus?

This story reminded me of the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears. Although she had a reputation of being a “sinner”, she did not allow that to stop her from expressing her love for Jesus. Although, those around had something to say (we all know people always having something to say *insert eye roll here*), let me tell you what Jesus did…

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Her heart was genuine. She humbled herself.

The scripture then goes on to say…

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

(Scriptures were taken from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A36-50&version=NIV)

Wow, because she believed she was saved from her sins.

Now, lets take it back to the woman with the issue of blood. Because she believed, she was saved from the issue of blood.

Hebrews 11:6 King James Version (KJV)

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is safe to say that there is something about when we approach God with a humble heart, unashamed, expecting to experience all that He has for us.