Feeling Ignored by Jesus?

Have you ever felt ignored by Jesus? I have been praying for the same healings and gifts for a long time, and admittedly, I feel pretty ignored by Jesus sometimes, perhaps like the woman in the Gospel felt. I have felt God's silence before in response to my asks, and it's hard to be in that space of waiting and uncertainty. Does God really hear you and will He answer?

It took the woman in the Gospel several persistent attempts before Jesus saw her faith and responded by healing her daughter. For you and I, it may take a lot of attempts and prayers as well, so resist the tendency to think you’re being ignored by Jesus. It just may be part of the process to get to your healing.

Why do I say this? Well, the Gospel proves it today. One ask didn’t get it done. It took a couple.

Plus, over time, I have seen God’s healing work play out, but it’s taken a long persistence of prayer. I thought I was being ignored by God over time, but time showed that I wasn’t. God did hear me and He did bring gradual healing. While there are still healings I am waiting for that I have yet to see, I know they will come in time. Eventually God does answer.

Today, I’m not only encouraged by the woman’s persistence, but also her simplicity in saying “Lord, help me.” She didn’t pray litanies of prayers to saints, travel any expensive pilgrimages, or say any elaborate prayers (not that any of those are bad). She simply said “Lord, help me.” I think that’s all Jesus expects of us as well: a simple ask and a heart of faith. 

So today, take a lesson from this woman with regard to your own asks for healing or any other gifts you're seeking: persistence and simplicity. And remember, Jesus hears you. He’s not ignoring you, but He is asking for your faith.