Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
March 4, 2024
This Week's Anchor
“He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you.
Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”
Mark 5: 34 (NIV)
Healing. Beyond the physical, we all need some form of emotional, mental, and spiritual healing. We often talk about generational curses and the negative influence of cross-generational trauma, but what we need now more than ever are rich conversations around the power of inter-generational healing. When it comes to our layered life wounds, our healing is no one’s responsibility but our own. It can be overwhelming to consider the gravity of approaching the pain and life experiences that impact us. However, our anchor scripture this week imparts a sobering reminder of the significance of faith in our healing journeys.
This week’s anchor is nestled in a Bible story that is familiar to many. The story of a sick woman who heard about Jesus arriving in her town and decided to take a risk by approaching Him in hopes of healing. Leading up to this scripture, the context illustrates a series of miracles that Jesus performs as He makes His way across this region. In the moment of this verse, Jesus is surrounded by a large crowd. I don’t know what it felt like to be this woman, but on several occasions, I’ve imagined, and with empathy, I’ve placed myself in her experience. Imagine suffering with an unexplainable and presumably uncurable illness for over a decade. You hear about the arrival of a miracle-making man professed to be the son of God and you envision, this is my opportunity to change my life. As you desperately make your way toward Him, you realize there’s a crowd of people between you and your healing. Many of us would have given up—thinking, I’ll never make my way to Him and even if I did, He won’t notice me among all these people.
Nevertheless, in Mark 5, we see this woman turn her pain into persistence and her desperation into determination. Not only was she steadfast in approaching Jesus, but she also convinced herself that she didn’t even need to talk to Him directly—that if she just touched a thread of His garment, she would be healed. She eventually reaches Jesus and is immediately healed upon touching his cloak. When Jesus realizes power left His body and identifies who touched Him, he tells the woman “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (v. 34).
What a powerful story of the admirable faith and will of this woman. Imagine if all of us were this passionate about our healing. Although this story is one of physical healing, the wisdom and inspiration are transferable to other aspects of healing. Here are a few things we can take with us from this story as we embark on our own emotional and spiritual healing journeys:
Our Healing is Important
The woman in Mark 5 demonstrates how healing can be prioritized in our lives. Not acknowledging our emotional wounds and scars can have detrimental effects, not only for ourselves but for others. Unaddressed pain often shows up in our relationships. Sometimes it looks like unintentionally hurting others (e.g., the widely shared quote “hurt people hurt people”). Other times it can reveal itself in our projection and/or misdirection of pain, emotions, and experiences onto others. At moments it leads to the opposite—maybe we are overly dependent in ways that result in sacrificing our own needs to please others. Or maybe we hold unrealistic expectations of others to make us whole. Some of us over-internalize (we blame ourselves for everything) while others might over-externalize (we frequently blame others). I share this without judgment or shame because we are each on our own journeys in navigating life’s wounds. While we might not be responsible for the experiences that life has handed us, only we have agency over our healing. And like the woman in Mark 5, we can make healing our mission.
Healing is a Process
While the woman in Mark 5 was healed immediately when she touched Jesus’ garment, the deeper emotional healing that most of us yearn for doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, some consider this kind of healing as a life-long journey. The sometimes-long process of healing can be painful, and yet purposeful. It often unfolds in layers, one moment at a time, with each step as meaningful as the next. Like the woman in Mark 5, it might include more questions than answers. This woman’s process of healing didn’t start when she touched Jesus. I imagine that it started when she realized that she needed healing over a decade before. Every moment after this got her closer to this blessed encounter with Jesus. For instance, if she never realized her condition was worth healing, she would have never sought help from doctors. And if she hadn’t had several unsuccessful treatments from medical professionals, she might have never felt the strong conviction to see Jesus on the day she received healing. Like the woman in Mark 5, we might have to fight for our healing, but if we remain grounded in our faith, pressing through the journey will be worthwhile.
Healing is Believing & Noticing
It’s hard to go on a journey of healing if you don’t first believe that you need healing, and second believe that you can experience healing. In Mark 5, we see this woman’s incredible belief that she could be healed. Not only did she know that healing could occur prior to receiving it, but she was alert, aware, and ready to notice it when it happened (“she felt in her body that she was healed”, v. 29). For many of us, we have healed, and we are already healing. However, we haven’t quite taken the time to recognize and relish it. Sometimes we have to pause, take a step back, and intentionally reflect on how we have grown and changed. We can also acknowledge the cross-generational healing and growth that has already happened throughout our lineage. Truth be told, learning to recognize and celebrate our individual and collective healing is a healing process in itself.
It’s Important to Know the Source of Our Healing (and Trust the Resources He Offers)
Undeniably, this faith-filled woman in Mark 5 knew exactly Who could provide her healing. Only God and the Holy Trinity can dig deep within our minds, bodies, and souls to ignite healing in the meaningful ways we need. While God is the source of our healing, there may be additional resources that He desires us to connect with to foster that healing. God created us as relational beings, so sometimes the resources are other people in our lives. However, when others are not sufficient, there are many resources that we can engage with to support us in healing and coping. While psychotherapy is for everyone and is a common method of healing, it might not be what a particular person needs in a specific season. There isn’t one way to heal—we can find what helps us based on our own unique needs. Check out GBW’s resources page for more information on various supports to help you on your healing journey. And check out this website for more information on how Black women can heal.
Additionally, these healing warriors and mental health professionals are highly recommended to follow on Instagram for more inspiration on everyday healing:
As we enter this week, let us all consider our personal journeys and reflect on ways we can cultivate healing in our lives. It might be difficult to know where to start; however, in the Presence of the Holy Trinity, we experience the affirmation and reassurance we need to take a first step. Grounded Black Women, let’s heal together!
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
Where are you on your emotional, mental, and spiritual healing journey? What gets in the way of you seeking healing?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Psalm 147
Isaiah 41:8-10
Jeremiah 17:14
Jeremiah 30:17
James 5:13-15
3 John 1:2
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Healing is happening here…
No matter how hard; no matter how slow.”
Dericka Canada Cunningham
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