Lemonade: Health Crisis

Today’s focus? Health crisis. We looked at the powerful story of the woman with the issue of blood—how her faith led her to reach for the hem of Jesus’ garment, believing that even just a touch could bring healing. And it did.

by Kevin Matthews

This resource offers perspective on Chronic Illness, Health, Hope, Prayer for Healing, Suffering

This resource provides help with questions including:

Can anything help me feel less afraid about my health?How do I stay mentally strong when my body isn’t?How do I cope with being sick all the time?How do people find peace when their body is breaking down?What do I do when the doctors don’t have answers?

Bitter Lemons, Better Days

When life gives you lemons, what’s the old saying? Make lemonade. But let me be honest with you—lemons are sour. That sour taste is how I make that face. The truth is, I’ve hated lemons for a long, long time. Even lemon dish soap gives me flashbacks, because as a child, when I said a bad word or spoke disrespectfully, my mother would put lemon-scented dish soap in my mouth. Today that would be considered abuse, but that’s what she did whenever something came out of my mouth that shouldn’t have.

Years later, I discovered at a Red Robin restaurant that the bitterness of lemons could be fixed. Their strawberry freckled lemonade taught me that one added ingredient—something sweet—can turn bitterness into refreshment. That’s what this series is about: when life hands you bitter realities, adding Jesus at the very center can transform everything.

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When Health Lemons Hit

Today we’re talking about health crises—the bitter lemons of sickness, disease, and pain. Jesus warned us, “In this world you will have trouble.” Not the most encouraging promise! But He didn’t stop there: “Take heart. I have overcome the world.”

So what would happen if we brought our sickness, our pain, our health struggles into His presence? Not just with a quick prayer in the moment, but really asking Jesus to intervene?

I think of my mom. She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. This was the same woman who would panic when her TV remote didn’t work. Yet when she received her diagnosis, she calmly said, “I understand… but I’m going to get a miracle. Either here and now and you’ll tell the church about it, or in the hereafter and I’ll tell your father about it. But I will get a miracle.”

Her peace in the face of cancer was extraordinary. And she was right. She lived longer than expected, and today she is totally healed in heaven, where there is no sickness or pain. But she showed me something: that we can trust God for miracles here and now, and we can rest in the ultimate healing that awaits us in eternity.

The Woman With the Issue of Blood (Mark 5:25–34)

In Mark 5, Jesus was surrounded by crowds when a woman came who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered under many doctors, spent everything she had, and only grew worse. Yet when she heard about Jesus, she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

She pushed through the crowd, reached out, and touched the hem of His garment. Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she knew in her body she was healed. Jesus turned and asked, “Who touched me?” Though the disciples thought it was a strange question in such a crowd, He was looking for her.

Trembling, the woman confessed everything. Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Faith That is Persistent, Personal, and Public

This woman’s story teaches us the kind of faith we need when health crises hit.

Persistent – She pressed through twelve years of suffering, doctors, disappointments, and still did not give up. Persistence doesn’t mean denying reality—it means refusing to let reality define your limits.
Personal – It wasn’t her mother’s faith or her pastor’s faith. It was her own. Healing begins when you decide to reach out to Jesus.
Public – When Jesus asked “Who touched me?” she had to declare it openly. Healing is often meant to become someone else’s hope. Your private miracle can become a public testimony that inspires others to believe.

Why We Can Still Ask Boldly

Not everyone is healed in the way or the timing we hope for. Even Paul’s thorn in the flesh remained after pleading with God three times. But God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Still, God does heal. Sometimes He heals the body, sometimes He works in those around us, and sometimes He gives supernatural peace in the midst of suffering. Whatever form it takes, healing is real.

That’s why James 5 tells us: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.” We are called to ask, to seek, and to knock. And when we do, God responds in His way and His time.

Closing Challenge

Some of you today are facing bitter health lemons: chronic pain, scary diagnoses, or long unanswered prayers. The challenge from this story is clear: don’t give up. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Reach out to Jesus personally. Step forward publicly for prayer.

Because when life gives you health lemons, Jesus is the one ingredient that can turn even the most bitter situation into something better.

Closing Prayer

Father God, we believe that you are able. You are the great physician and mighty counselor. Today we bring our health crises, our suffering, and our pain to you.

We ask for healing in Jesus’ name. We ask for persistence in our faith, for faith that is personal, and for courage to make it public. We trust you to do what only you can do. Amen.

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