Don’t Be Afraid; Just Believe

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” —Frederick Buechner

Main Point: Faith looks different depending on the season of life—sometimes it’s desperate and immediate, other times it’s persistent and patient. Jesus responds personally to both.

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. —Mark 5:21-24a

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. —Mark 5:24b-29

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” —Mark 5:30-31

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” —Mark 5:32-34

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” —Mark 5:32-34

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. —Mark 5:37-40a

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. —Mark 5:40b-43

Sometimes we approach Jesus with a desperate faith.
—Keep believing, even when things seem hopeless.

Sometimes we approach Jesus with a persistent faith.
— Keep holding on, even when a breakthrough doesn’t come as quickly as you hoped.

Are you in a season where life feels urgent and desperate?

Are you in a “waiting season” where healing, breakthrough, or answered prayer has been delayed?

Takeaway: Whether your faith is desperate or persistent, Jesus responds.

Discussion Questions
1. How have you experienced desperate faith in your own life? What circumstances pushed you to seek Jesus urgently?
2. When have you had to exercise persistent faith? How did waiting on God shape your trust in Him?
3. What obstacles—internal or external—sometimes make it difficult for you to reach out to Jesus in faith?
4. Jesus told the woman, “Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” How does faith not only bring healing but also peace?

Table Discussion Question: How can this passage encourage someone who is currently waiting on a breakthrough or healing? How can you support and encourage others in their faith journey?