Learning has no age limit, and life offers countless lessons that guide us toward wisdom, helping us apply our knowledge effectively. Many believe these lessons come without a structured syllabus or plan, arriving in a seemingly random order. However, these are not random but planned in advance by God to make us whole. Another perspective is that the more mistakes we make, the more we learn.
Fortunately, life allows us unlimited attempts to master these lessons—some succeed on the first try, while others take longer, accumulating setbacks over the years. This often happens because we fail to rely on God to help us navigate these challenges successfully. The true obstacle prolonging our learning process is that we turn to God, our ultimate teacher, only after exhausting all other options. It’s worth reflecting on how long it takes us to seek God and what holds us back.
Long Years Of Suffering
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. – Mark 5:25-26 (NIV)
Mark described the suffering of a sick woman, highlighting how she had endured a great deal under the care of numerous doctors. It’s clear that she once had the means to seek medical help, and as long as her resources lasted, she didn’t fully grasp the extent of her worsening condition. Only when her resources ran out did she realize the severity of her illness. Fortunately, she recognized her situation and sought a solution. However, many in similar circumstances lose hope and fail to look for alternatives. Instead, they think of those who have lost their battle with similar diseases and accept the same fate.
Similarly, when it comes to sin—a far more dangerous affliction—people often try to rid themselves of it by spending their resources on offerings to so-called spiritual leaders. Instead of guiding them to God, these leaders entangle them in various religious practices that keep them bound in sin. Over time, people grow accustomed to living in sin and eventually abandon the search for true deliverance, comforting themselves with the notion that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Some are even encouraged by calling themselves “champions of sinners”, making them feel morally superior. At times, they are trained to pray for others’ struggles, and as self-proclaimed “prayer warriors,” they begin to see themselves as holier than others—drifting even further from God.
The Obstacles
What kept the woman from coming to Jesus for so long? Primarily, it was her wealth—she had enough money to seek treatment for twelve years. With numerous doctors available, she could keep switching from one to another, hoping for a cure. However, after years of failed attempts, fear and shame became additional barriers. Moreover, religious law instilled fear in her, as it forbade an unclean woman from appearing in public; if she dared to do so, she risked being stoned to death. She also struggled with feelings of unworthiness, seeing herself as a grave sinner while the crowd around Jesus portrayed themselves as righteous and holy. With all these obstacles, reaching out to Jesus became an overwhelming challenge for her.
What prevents us from turning to God at the very first instance to resolve our struggles? Again, money plays a major role—many believe they can buy forgiveness for their sins through offerings and donations. With numerous churches and denominations available, people tend to shift between them, often seeking solutions rather than true repentance. Church leaders, meanwhile, welcome new members who switch from other churches but often discourage sinners from approaching the Lord’s table. People are warned that they must be ceremonially clean before partaking, instilling fear rather than drawing them to God. The culture of “holier than thou” has made individuals reluctant to confess their sins, instead choosing to maintain a false image of righteousness. As a result, approaching God seems far more difficult than simply following religious rituals.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Lack of Faith
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. – Mark 5:27-29 (NIV)
The woman approached Jesus but did so quietly. She had the resources to see doctors, but when it came to facing the Savior, she lacked faith. Her encounters with doctors hadn’t taught her to love Jesus, and since perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), the fear she felt showed that her love for Him was still incomplete. Despite the fear that gripped her, she didn’t let it lead her into doubt. Similarly, we must not let our fears make us doubt God or His faithfulness.
In today’s world, many have heard of Jesus’ healing power. Believers often invite their non-believing friends to witness miracles, urging them to expect one for themselves. However, the focus unintentionally shifts from seeking Jesus and His love to merely receiving healing. The woman who suffered for twelve years longed for healing more than she longed for Jesus. She wanted to take her miracle and leave. Similarly, people today are taught to seek blessings, receive them, and walk away—content with what they have gained but missing to meet the One who provided them.
Yet Jesus, while freely granting her the healing she desired, did not let her leave without meeting Him. Even today, He patiently waits for those who receive His blessings but remain distant from Him. His ultimate desire is to offer us salvation, which leads to eternal life. Coming into God’s presence can heal our sicknesses and solve our problems, but true deliverance from sin—the silent killer of our souls—requires staying close to Him.
Our struggle to live with God often stems from our attachment to worldly blessings, perhaps even those given by God Himself. Jesus called the woman forward, leading her to openly confess what had happened. Then He said to her:
“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” – Mark 5:34 (NIV)
At first, her faith was incomplete because she only sought healing. But after encountering her Savior, her faith became whole. Jesus essentially told her, “Now you have Me—live a life free from suffering. But be careful, for if you lose Me, those troubles may return.” He sent her in peace, but not alone—He sent her with Himself.
The Last Will Become The First
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16 (NIV)
This is an encouraging message from Jesus to sinners who are often looked down upon by self-righteous believers with a holier-than-thou attitude. In God’s Kingdom, there is assurance that even those ranked last can become first, for His resources are abundant. Unlike the fallen world, where scarcity breeds competition and only one can take first place, God makes everyone worthy of the highest position—through the righteousness of His Son. His desire is to seat us with Christ in glory, as Jesus Himself declared:
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. – Revelation 3:21 (NIV)
With our human understanding, it may seem impossible for all of us to share in Christ’s throne. But we must remember that the realities of God’s Kingdom are beyond our imagination—we are called not to comprehend, but to believe His Word. However, belief alone is not enough; transformation is necessary. To move from last to first, we must change our priorities. Instead of making God our last resort, we must seek Him first. Only then will we be elevated from the lowest place to the highest, inheriting both God and His Kingdom. This is why Jesus instructs us:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
We can truly live out this verse only if we focus on the first part of it. If our motivation is the second part—the promise of blessings—then we are still seeking God for what He gives, rather than for who He is. Instead, let us declare: Lord, You alone are enough for us. Let us no longer treat seeking God as our last option, but as our only option—to seek Him and nothing else.
The Jordan Valley 
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