And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

Every morning I open the Bible. I can’t help but read at least a verse from the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes because I need wisdom for each day. Then I would plunge deeply into studying my Bible. Thirty minutes to an hour later, I would close my Holy book, pray and face the day.

But one morning was exceptional. I woke up with a heavy heart and a migraine headache. I knew the cause of my infirmities. I had believed God for a job for the past five years, but a day before, I lost out at another interview. So I felt hopeless and empty. The strength to hang on ran dry and I was weak to the core.

Relaxing for a while, I picked up my Bible. I opened it like it was some coffee-table book. My troubled eyes fell on Mark chapter five. I scanned through to verse twenty-five to thirty-five. It was the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Though I did not know the reason, but I read the account story six times that remarkable morning.

This is a story I’ve heard all my life from my age eight when attending Sunday school classes. I knew her story so well like my last name; I knew it like the number of blouses in my small closet. It was a miraculous story of faith more than that of a mustard seed.

I remembered in the University campus fellowship, we gave her story a name, “ The garment’s faith”. I personally had preached the garment’s faith to believers and unbelievers more than a hundred times but after reading it six times, God wanted me reading it again.

“What do you want to tell me in this?” I questioned God.

“ Read it again, my daughter” the still voice responded, ignoring my question.

“ God! Read what again? I’ve read this story all my life and I’ve got her kind of faith.” I yelled out loud. But the still voice was adamant and I was left with a choice, to read it again. Then, as I went through it, something dawned on me. Something I’ve never thought of hit me hard.

The woman was strong, rich and healthy. Perhaps people envied her for her success. Perhaps she had taught people a hundred times how to remain healthy and rich. But one day she was ready for her monthly menstrual period just like every other woman. After three to five days, the flow never stopped. She became worried, saw a gynaecologist, got some medications and was told not to worry, but it persisted. Her worries led to fear as she tried other doctors, still no changes. She tried whatever people suggested and they were as diverse as they were costly until she spent all her lot. Before her very eyes, everything she had acquired completely disappeared.

Twelve years later, her expensive linen and satin turned ragged sackcloth with patches. Her strong physique turned a weary bone bag. She was nothing but a walking corpse. She was so frail with no strength to stand on her legs. Then her families and friends abandoned her, throwing the once celebrated woman to a corner, outside the city, where lepers live.

She least knew Jesus. She had only heard of Him from people saying He does miracles. When she heard He would be passing by, she must have knelt down and said this prayer “Please God strengthen my weakness to confront and tell Him to heal me.” she definitely stayed up all night, only to know when the Healer would be passing by.

When the time came, she heard the crowd yelling, “Jesus is passing by.” She felt disappointed because her plan wouldn’t work. The crowd was too much for her to get close to Jesus, not a chance of talking to Him. She had to erase Plan A and immediately thought of a Plan B, which is, if I could grace His garment edge, I would be whole again.

In her frailty, she pressed through the crowd. She got several hard blows, she got pushed down, she was trampled on, but deep inside she kept saying, I’m not giving up until I graze His garment. She was unconsciously instilling in herself strength, the one different from the usual strength. She instilled a divine strength in herself and it kept her going; ignoring every blockades, obstacles and severe pains until she grazed the master’s garment. She was whole again.

Immediately, Jesus knew someone had not just got a miracle. He had been doing Miracles all along. He did heal the maniac (Mark 5:2-15), He healed Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21-24) but He knew some divine strength had left him through his garment and he asked, “ Who touched me?” Literally, he was asking “ Who tapped from my divine strength?” The woman identified herself, finally was able to replay Plan A to him again. He simply said “your faith had made you whole” meaning your faith brought you strength divine.

When all these dawned on me as I read that story the seventh time, I knelt down, asked for forgiveness. I had faith but no divine strength, so I asked for divine strength and my infirmities vanished, leaving me strong to face other challenges without a weary mind and body, until I got a good job.

I know you are passing through the same stage, but in a different way and it makes you want to question God. Look at yourself and ask this question, “do I have the same kind of strength that woman possessed?” It is only this kind of strength that could help you overcome your obstacles. Your faith is yet to move mountain if it lacks divine strength. Ask for it today.

Coming soon, "Haiku with love" An inspiring poetry collection by A.Z. Alfred. To be published by Author House, USA. for his works goto:www.writesight.com/blackzeal101 or mailto: blackzeal101@yahoo.com