New Fruit: 7 Days of Porn Recovery for WomenSample

Mark 5:25-34 tells the story of a woman defined by her needs. She had suffered for twelve years from constant menstrual bleeding. This condition would be difficult for a woman in any situation, but for someone in Jewish society this would have marked her as unclean, unwanted, and undesirable. Her condition cut her off from interaction with the community and even from entering into public worship. It is likely she had stopped leaving the house altogether. 

As women who struggle with sexual addiction, it is not a hard leap to relate to her, is it? We often feel like outcasts, tossed aside, and forgotten. Like all of us, this woman was defined by her need. 

Just as needs define our identity, so they can point us in many different directions. In Mark’s story, the woman suffering from this condition had tried everything she could think of—until she finally found Jesus. 

As women who struggle with addiction, we may feel incredibly needy. Where do those needs point you? Have you tried everything? The woman did, and finally her need pointed her to Jesus. In her desperation, she reached out to touch the hem of Jesus’s robe, hoping to be healed—hoping to find a new identity and escape from her shame. 

The beautiful part of the story is what happened to the woman after she turned to Jesus. How did Jesus respond to her? What did He say when the woman reached out and touched the hem of his robe? He didn’t call her unclean, unwanted, or undesirable. Instead, He called her by ONE word: DAUGHTER. He met her in her need and gave her a new identity. 

Reflection:

How do you see yourself in your struggles with pornography or sexual addiction? Unclean? Unwanted? Undesirable? When you reach out to Jesus, he will call you by one word: daughter.