A Faith that Moves Us
Greg S GilbertJune 23, 2025
James 1:6; Mark 5:25-34
When’s the last time I ran through a crowd, not to catch a flight or make a meeting, but because I believed in something so deeply that it demanded movement?
I’ve been reflecting the story in Mark 5, the woman who endured twelve years of suffering, disappointment and closed doors. When she heard Jesus was passing through, something inside her said, this is it. She pushed through the masses, risked the shame, broke social code, and reached for the hem of His cloak. She believed, not in theory, not just in her head, but in motion. Her faith was so compelling it motivated her to chase him!
Every time I read this story, it challenges the level of my faith. What good is a well-ordered life if our faith has gone sedentary? If our belief in Jesus no longer pulls us forward, presses us through the crowd, or makes us desperate to get near Him?
James puts it plainly, and it hits close to home. “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives…” (James 4:2–3, NIV). Sometimes we’re empty simply because we’ve stopped asking. Or we’re asking, but without full belief, or asking for things that have little to do with God’s heart. A compelling faith asks boldly and expects Him, not just His answers. James 1:6 says “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” The woman in Mark 5 didn’t have a backup plan. Her faith wasn’t polite or calculated. It was raw. She believed and because of that, she moved.
So how do we grow in that kind of faith? How do we cultivate a belief that leads to motion? Start here:
- Pray like it matters. Not because the words are perfect, but because of the One you’re speaking to is. Be honest. Be consistent. Pray as if Jesus really is listening, because He is.
- Read God’s Word like it’s your lifeline. Not a checkbox. Not a self-help book. Dig in like you’re looking for treasure, because you are. “The word of God is alive and active…” (Hebrews 4:12). Don’t just study it. Let it search you.
- Ask boldly. Believe fully. Move faithfully. Don’t let unanswered prayers or past disappointments silence your pursuit. Ask again. Believe again. Push through the crowd.
The woman in Mark 5 didn’t just believe in healing. She believed in Jesus. And that belief made her move. That’s compelling faith.
Let’s not settle for belief that stays still. Let’s go after Him like we need Him for this very day! Because we do.
