Stubborn Faith

Stubborn Faith

“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. Matthew 15:28

A GENTILE WOMAN PLEADED WITH JESUS to help her tormented daughter, and the compassionate Son of God did not say a word. Even in the face of her cries, he kept his silence. The disciples, bothered by her persistence, tried to send her away. She would have been the only person in the Gospels who came to Jesus for healing or deliverance and didn’t receive it.

Jesus eventually reminded the woman of his immediate mission—to save the lost sheep of Israel—and that she wasn’t part of it. But she was not deterred and kept pleading. He told her bluntly that Gentiles were considered dogs—a common term Jews used for non-Jews. And rather than objecting, she accepted the label. She pressed in. She had a need, and he was the only one who could address it. Finally Jesus answered, but not with a rebuke. He called her “dear” and commended her for her faith.

How could Jesus be silent in the face of a desperate plea? Why did he take so long to answer? We often ask such questions, and the answer is probably similar to the answer we see in this story: Jesus lets the drama of faith play out. Real faith persists through impossibilities, obstacles, objections, or even insults. Real faith recognizes God’s nature against all visible circumstances and says, “I know who you are. I know you’re good, even if I can’t see your goodness right now.” Real faith endures until the answer comes. And what once looked like God’s reluctance turns out to be his compassion. He was waiting for outward evidence of our unwavering trust.

The prayer of faith is not easily turned away. It may be bothersome to the people who hear it. But God invites it. Like a neighbor banging on a door at midnight (Luke 11:5-8), a woman pestering a judge (Luke 18:1-5), or a Gentile insisting on the goodness of a Jewish Messiah, keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Good things come to those who won’t be persuaded that God is silent, distant, or unmoving. Stubborn faith is rewarded with his blessing.

Battering the gates of heaven with storms of prayer.