Trapped in the Moment Before the Miracle

When Waiting Feels Unfair

By Pastor Vinnie MacIsaac

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Have you ever felt the ache of waiting—wondering why God doesn’t step in right when you need Him most? Come with me into the story in the Gospel of Luke (8:40-53), where two lives intersect in a crowd, each one desperate for a miracle. Look around. Can you sense the tension, feel the weight in the air as these two souls press into the crowd, hoping for the same thing—a touch from Jesus that will bring healing?

First, there’s Jairus—a man whose life has likely never known such desperation. He’s a respected synagogue leader, a man used to being in control, with people looking up to him. But now, none of that matters. His twelve-year-old daughter, the light of his life, is at death’s door. Every second is precious as he finally spots Jesus. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jairus pushes through the crowd, urgency overriding his dignity. He falls at Jesus’ feet, pleading for his child’s life with a voice thick with desperation.

Then, look over to the edge of the crowd, and you’ll see her—a woman who’s been suffering in silence for twelve long years, hidden from society because of her condition. That’s as long as Jairus’s daughter has been alive. For twelve years, she’s watched life pass her by, felt her health deteriorate, and endured isolation, loss, and shame. But today, she’s determined. She won’t stop until she reaches Jesus, even if it’s only to touch His garment. She’s tried everything else. If anyone understands the desperation of Jairus, it’s this woman who’s lived a life defined by waiting.

Imagine for a moment the tension that hangs between these two lives. Who should be healed first? The girl, whose life has barely begun, or the woman, who has suffered the same number of years the girl has been alive? The crowd surges around Jesus, but He’s focused on the people before Him. Jairus leads Him through the throng, urging Him to hurry, while this woman follows in silence, hoping just for a brief touch, an instant of healing.

And then, it happens. As Jairus walks beside Jesus, trying to pull Him through the crowd, he suddenly feels the frustration of delay as Jesus stops. The woman, unnoticed by most, has reached out and touched His garment. That single touch is her boldest act of faith, her deepest cry for mercy, and she can feel it—the suffering ends in an instant. Jesus has stopped, turned, and asked, “Who touched me?”

Can you imagine Jairus in this moment? His heart must be pounding with impatience and confusion. He’s trapped in this maddening pause, watching someone else receive the miracle he so urgently needs for his daughter. This woman is healed; she’s finally freed from twelve years of pain. But Jairus is gripped by the thought, Why her and not my child? Why is God helping her first?

The woman, realizing she can’t stay hidden, comes forward. She falls at Jesus’ feet and tells Him everything. The twelve years of shame, the hopeless visits to physicians, the long nights of pain, and the isolation that almost broke her spirit. Jesus listens, and then His face softens. He calls her “Daughter,” a name that must warm her heart and bring tears to her eyes. “Your faith has healed you; go in peace.” She’s no longer “unclean,” no longer a forgotten outcast. Her faith has been honored, and she has been made whole.

But for Jairus, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. He’s waiting, caught in the agony of helplessness as he watches a stranger receive what he needs so desperately. And then the unthinkable happens. A messenger arrives, his face grim, and delivers the news Jairus dreads most: “Your daughter is dead.” Those words must pierce him like a knife. His hopes, his faith—all of it seems to collapse in an instant. He followed Jesus, he pleaded with all he had, yet it feels like the heavens have been silent, like God has chosen someone else over his own daughter. Why would God allow this? he must wonder, Isn’t my daughter’s life as important as this woman’s healing?

Before Jairus can even process the heartbreak, Jesus turns to him. He doesn’t ignore his pain or dismiss his fear. He looks right into Jairus’s eyes, His gaze filled with an understanding far beyond what anyone else could offer. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus tells him, “just believe, and she will be healed.” These words—simple, yet profoundly challenging—call Jairus to a faith that holds on, even in the face of despair. He’s still reeling, still grieving, but he follows, trapped in the moment before the miracle.

As they reach his home, the mourners are already gathered, their wails filling the air, a heart-wrenching symphony of sorrow. Jairus’s heart must be breaking, the sound a stark reminder that he’s already too late. But Jesus sends the mourners away, allowing only Jairus, his wife, and three disciples into the room. It’s quiet now, still. And then, with a gentleness that defies the weight of the situation, Jesus takes the girl’s hand and speaks, “My child, get up.”

And there, in that moment, life returns. The girl rises, breath filling her lungs, color returning to her cheeks. Imagine Jairus’s face, the astonishment, the fierce, almost painful joy as he realizes his daughter is alive. The delay that felt so unfair, the wait that seemed endless, has led to a miracle greater than he could have dreamed.

Trapped in the Moment Before the Miracle

How many of us know this feeling—trapped in the excruciating pause, watching others receive the blessings we’re longing for, feeling like our prayers are unheard? We see others’ needs being met, and bitterness starts to rise. Jairus must have felt it—the pang of perceived unfairness as he watched the woman healed, all while he faced the news of his daughter’s death.

But here’s the truth Jesus shows us through Jairus and this woman: there is a purpose in the delay. The woman endured twelve years of waiting for her healing, and Jairus had to wait while someone else received their miracle. Both were trapped in those moments of waiting, where faith feels stretched beyond its limits. But Jesus had something greater in store for each of them. For the woman, the wait ended with immediate healing; for Jairus, the delay led to a resurrection beyond what he had asked for.

So, if you’re waiting, feeling trapped in the moment before the miracle, hold on. Jesus is near, even in the silence, even in the pause. He hasn’t forgotten you. Like Jairus and the woman, you’ll find that in His perfect time—whether the answer is immediate or after a longer journey—His presence and His power will be the answer you’ve been seeking. Hold fast, for the miracle may be closer than you think.

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