Mark 5:27 – The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes.

Gratitude Day 747

I feel like I have been living a season of “barely.”

Barely getting things done.

Barely getting my head in the right spot.

Barely getting enough sleep and rest.

Barely crossing things off of my to-do list.

Let me be clear. Too often, I’m in the “barely” state because of my own doing. I waste time. I procrastinate. I wait until I have to get it done. I’m picking the wrong things to do rather than the right things. Oh, I could go on and on.

Sometimes, the days feel too full, with too many choices and not enough opportunity to check them all of the list. Other days, my heart just does not feel in the game. Then, there is the rare day when I feel like I almost have it together.

But barely.

Sometimes barely is all right. Barely keeps us humble at times and hopefully allows us to keep perspective that we are not in control all the time. But barely can also drive us nuts. It’s too taxing to live in the barely season forever. Or at least this is how I feel.

One day, a woman with a long-time disease knew that Jesus was in her town. She had heard that he healed people. So, she went to the area where he was. Quietly, carefully, she walked by Jesus … hoping no one would notice. Maybe if she barely touched his cloak, his healing power would come into her, and she would be healed.

It was a longshot. But what did she have to lose?

Amazingly, it worked. She was better.

But then, the event turned bad. Soon, Jesus is asking the crowd who touched his garment. She barely touched Jesus’ garment. Yet, Jesus knew someone had. He stops in the crowd and asks who. Does Jesus already know it was the woman? I believe so. But he wanted to give her the opportunity to step out of the crowd and come to him on her own.

In a rush, I see this woman telling Jesus her whole story. She didn’t want to bother him. She is just a nobody. She hoped he could heal her, but she knew it probably wasn’t possible.

But it was.

Jesus assured her that her pain was gone forever. She was forever healed.

Because she barely touched his cloak.

Barely moments and stages of life are often necessary and can be helpful. But barely really is not a long-term solution. What I need to do is touch Jesus’ cloak so he can get my attention. Be present with him and hear what he has to say to me. And listen.

We can be so busy and scattered that we forget to return to the One who can fill our hearts and souls and lives with the very best things. We all will have barely seasons in our lives. And it is OK. But trying to do barely without Jesus along side of you? Not a great idea.

God can and will bless our seasons of barely. But we also should have enough sense to know being in Jesus’ presence is a better option than barely forever.

For this season of barely and the realization of how to move beyond it, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Dear God – I am sorry for becoming too comfortable in this season of barely. Forgive me for the times when I could have made alternative choices and chose not to. Help me turn my heart back to you so I will be filled with Your guiding hand every day. Amen.

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