Where do you want to give up? What have you tried and tried and tried again, and want to throw in the towel, because it feels hopeless? What if this time, though, things could be different?
“And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” Mark 5:25-26
I’ve had an abdominal separation for five years. It started with my firstborn. I’ve tried dozens of programs, two rounds of pelvic floor and physical therapy, did all the right exercises and avoided the wrong ones. I’ve used essential oils, increased my gelatin intake to support connective tissue restoration, bought belly bands, girdles, and splints. But with my second pregnancy, it only grew worse.
I found myself thinking, “Am I just wasting my time? If it didn’t work before, what makes me think it will work now?” Unbelief began to lead to inaction. I slacked off on my physical therapy exercises that week. My unchecked log sheet remained empty, but I was full of resentment. I thought, It will always be this way. The past is proof. The hippocampus in my brain, which relates new input to past experiences, confirmed from stored memories that my previous attempts did not work.
“She had heard the reports about Jesus…” -Mark 5:27
I heard the Lord reminding me of His good works during my pregnancy. I did not suffer with insomnia the whole time like I expected. I did not have to submit to traditional labor and delivery interventions like I thought. I did not have a colic-oppressed baby as I had feared. I did not need to base the future on the past. God did make all things new each time. God did restore hope. And hope is the anchor of action.
I was beginning to think this time could be different. Not just because I had a new physical therapist, but because I had renewed hope.
The bleeding woman “…came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.'” -Mark 5:27b-28
Hope is attractive! This woman drew near to Jesus.
I picked up my new therapy program and began doing my homework exercises faithfully.
Faithfully: full of faith that God can do a new thing. That it wouldn’t always be this way.
Faithfully: because I have hope, I will keep trying because I believe more in the power of God than the imprisonment of my condition.
Faithfully: faith that when Jesus made me whole, I would be made well.
And I wouldn’t know healing if I didn’t put feet to my faith.
“Jesus turned, and seeing her…” -Matthew 9:22a
“The doctor will see you now,” is much different than “Jesus sees you.” Doctors and therapists are trained to see the physical symptoms, but Jesus looks on the heart. Put yourself in the shoes of the bleeding woman, surrounded by crowds.
He turns around, and He sees you. He looks straight into your eyes and sees your history of hurt. He sees your fruitless efforts and frustration, He sees your desperation to feel better.
” ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.” -Matthew 9:22b
The word He speaks for well is sózó, from sōs. It means to save, to deliver out of danger and into provision. SOS, Jesus! What did the bleeding woman need to be saved from? He tells her “Take heart, daughter,” instead of the familiar words she may have heard from others: “Give up, woman.” He saved her from her disheartened spirit and placed her squarely in the hope that only He could give!
Get on your feet, daughter, He has made you well.
The daughters of the Lord will not give up. The daughters of the Lord will draw near to Jesus and reach out for rescue. The daughters of the Lord will go to the empty tomb and be filled with hope.
“Hope begins in the dark. The stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing the dawn will come. You wait, and watch, and work. You don’t give up.”
-Anne Lamott
I will draw near, believing that put-together abs won’t heal my disheartened spirit, but that Jesus will, and that’s what having a strong core is really all about. I know that in Christ I have been made truly well. Even now He whispers with a heavenly wink, it won’t always be like this, it will be better.
In the comments below share your responses to the following questions:
What do you need to be saved from?
What have you heard about Jesus?
How can you draw near to Jesus today?
Kasey is a wife, mama, Bible study author, and Revelation Wellness personal trainer in Athens, Georgia. You can find her at kaseybshuler.com and rwathens.com.
Thank you for following along on the Revelation Wellness Blog this week! If you feel like giving up, you may need to be reminded of who you are. You are a child of God. You are loved and known. Download the 21 Declarations Journal and remember your identity in Christ!
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HOLLY’S CARDIO MASH-UP – “SATISFIED”
This is a cardio class, set to move to the beat of the music, where anything goes. The goal: to get your heart rate up with your Spirit even higher. (ALL LEVELS) (PSALM 42; DRUMSTICKS)
26 Responses
This message arrived right on time. I’m in the midst of a grueling week at work and at home. As a single mom, juggling the demands of three children and a full-time job means my self-care and exercise too often takes a back seat and that’s where I am again today. rev wellness has helped increase my energy so i can get more done – the house is cleaner, my heart has been lighter, i laugh more. But this week the old thoughts have come creeping back – this isn’t going to work, you’re not losing weight, there’s no time to workout. i’m exhausted. but this message in my inbox this morning so clearly reminds me that jesus sees me. he has a new plan for my life. it’s not going to be like the other times. he is taking me from glory to glory. there is much to celebrate – like my teen son who has started praying in our home. god is changing the atmosphere – i need only have faith.
Thank you for sharing, Erica! There is much to celebrate and we rejoice with you. Don’t give up, the Lord is with you!
Just beautiful. Just what i needed. And my dear friemd who is struggling with an ill child. She is EXHAUSTED. God will ise this!!! Ty friemd foe the hope in Him.
We pray your friend finds hope in Him! Be strong and courageous!
Kasey! Wow! This spoke to my heart like it was written just for me. I too Have been struggling with diastasis recti for years…especially after the birth of my second. It is so disheartEning some days. I so needed to hear this message of hope, not only for that condition but also the ongoing battle with my very Challenging young daughter. Thank you so much for your words. God bless you!
Anne
Thank you for sharing, Anne! We pray for healing and hope! Don’t give up!
Just what I needed. I Sat down in my “quiet Chair” only to realize that my journal and bible were downstairs. I decided to try a Wellness devotional to save me the steps and hit the jackpot! I’m so grateful for everything available here and how the Lord always uses it in just the right ways for my soul! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Kisha! We are so glad you are here in this community!! 🙂
I’ve struggled for yeaRs to loose weight. I gained it all with my first baby and by the fourth one i knew i was really needIng to get the weight off. Feelings of being exhausted and overwhelmed with four little ones swirled all around me. Then i got sick, but no one could tell me what Was happening to my body. I only knew i couldn’t stay awake for more than a couple hours at a time; CHRONIC fatigue set in.
Then came the injuries. After years of working out to try to loose weight and never being successful… my knee began to bother me. Again, a mis diagnosIs and so i just pressed in to do more to get healthy. Now it looks like I have a torn meniscus in my knee….most like done way back before that missed diagnosis. All this on top of my husband being DIAGNOSED with lunG cancer (the kind non smokers get) a year ago and Given a life sentence of two to fiVe years. Boy talk about a blow.
We sit believing in our healings and doing all we know to do, waiting to see the physical manifestation of what we know has already taken place in Heaven. I love your contrast of “the doctor will see you” vs “Jesus sees you.” That was beautiful. And a good reminder of where to keep my focus and to not give up.
ThanK you for sharing your testimony.
Sweet, Patricia! We will be praying for you in all this! Jesus does see you and your whole family. We pray for healing and hope.
“And hope is the anchor of action.” I stopped and reread this several times.
For me, This is Another way of saying “God’s got this…he’s Got Me.”
I’ve been experiencing vertigo as i train for Rim2Him this spring…this will be added to my thoughts as i train.
Thank you for the reminder.
My god is my hope….and my anchor.
We are so exciting you are doing Rim2Him! Though there may be things that come against you during training, God is your anchor and your hope! We can’t wait to see you there!
Thank you for this timely message. I am at work and very much needed hope. I have a daughter struggling with an addiction, and i need to be strong and know God is ready to help. I don’t want to give up on her!!
Thank you for sharing, Terry. We pray that God’s strengthens you in your weakness and that your daughter is broken from this addiction. Don’t give up! Be strong and courageous and run to your Father!
And hope is the anchor of action! I, too, find this statement to be super encouraging. I am a 60 year old whO has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I have struggled with weight all my life. When am i going to learn?? Is it too late?? I have hope that iT is not too late!! I dont know all of you personally, but our heavenly father does. We are sisters! And we can pray for one another. That’s hope! Oh…and i will be in athens next week, visiting my son. HOw cool is that?! Thank you for sharing your heart!
It is not too late! Thank you for sharing your heart, Ranee! We can definitely pray for one another. What a blessing!
I’m not even a daughter… this message can more than speak to men too… thank you so much for just what i needed to hear today !
Absolutely, Jon! This is for the sons of Christ also! Thanks for reading along!
Kasey, thank you for sharing! This was a wake uP call to me. I HAVEN’T been able to a pin on something but You COMPLETEly defined it for me…”UNBELIEF began to lead to inaction”. This is where i Have been for a while now. Believing that things can never change so why even try. its time i seek some renewed hope.
Thanks for sharing, Ronda! I pray you are filled with renewed hope, especially in this Easter season!
Please pray for me . God bless all are in this journey is amaizing . Thank you
We will pray for you, Eriberta! Thank you for being here!
I am struggling to believe this time will be any better. In have been on so many diet So many failed years. I don’t know if I even have hope to get me going or keep me going.
Hey Arlena, we pray you find FREEDOM from disbelief and endless diets. You are beautiful and strong! Check out our Warrior Challenge: https://69e9ef5477.nxcli.net/challenges/warrior/ or Little Way Challenge: https://69e9ef5477.nxcli.net/challenges/tlw-product/
These are created for you to move in faith with your whole mind, body, and spirit!
What do you need to be saved from?
I need to be saved from my unbelief and feelings of hopelessness. You see, 2 years ago I almost died. Severely malnourished, weak and disheartened from severe Ulcerative Colitis I was strongly encouraged by a Christian colleague to get medical help ASAP. She handed me almost $2,000 and said “Go!”. That day, she was God’s arm extended to me and literally saved me from myself. A week later, after lifesaving surgery and 3 subsequent surgeries, I am back on my feet, alive! Alive in physical being and alive in Christ!
What have you heard about Jesus? I had been saved since 9/9/90, but I feel like I was given a 2nd chance at life that fateful summer in 2017. I was shaken to the core and reborn in God’s grace and goodness. His has a calling on my life, which is greater than me. I now know what it is and reaching out to others with wounded hearts, minds and bodies is what I have dedicated my life to serve.
How can you draw near to Jesus today? As I draw near to Jesus Daily, He reminds me that I am a live, and I am thankful for the life only he has given me. I need his strength to help me regain all the physical strength strength that I had lost during my battle. these past couple of years. As I embark on my journey of health, healing, and wholeness. I seek Him continually for his spiritual strength and guidance in my daily life.
It is my goal to become a RevWell instructor someday and use it to minister to those who God leads me to. I am excited for my future and am taking one day at a time to get there. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s encouraging and inspirational!
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Nora! These are incredible questions to help us draw near to God. We are praying you into Instructor Training! You belong here!