Some of the most dramatic accounts of Christ’s ministry are found in the eighth chapter of Luke’s writings. It is here that we find the much quoted parable of the sower, then we read about the waves being calmed, then we meet the demon-possessed man who gets delivered (and the pigs who get demon-possessed in return). And it’s not over. There’s still the pulpit favorite “woman with the issue of blood.” And then there’s Jairus.

The Bible describes Jairus as a ruler of the synagogue. That afternoon though, he was just one among the many needy people that thronged Christ. His request – his 12-year-old daughter was at the point of death and he knew only Christ could heal her. So he humbled himself, bowed before the Healer and was granted audience. But then drama happened on the way, Jesus obviously ministering to the crowds as he went, stopped to heal the bleeding woman, and by the time he was done, it was too late.

A well meaning servant found them on the way, and informed Jairus that his daughter was dead, and there was no need to trouble Jesus with the journey any more.

I can only imagine the anguish of the father, having done everything he knew to do, and still falling short. I can see him breaking down in the crowd, grief overcoming any composure he had walking with Jesus. I can even imagine him angry, wondering why Jesus took so long to make the journey. Most of all, I can feel the hopelessness Jairus must have had, when he realized his only hope had been extinguished by events he couldn’t control.

We’ve all been there.

Places where it feels like we have failed. Circumstances that seem as if they’ve been crafted to bring us down and take us out. Discouragement stemming from the overwhelming feeling of everything crushing down. More often than not, despair sets in quickly, and resigning ourselves to it seems to be the only option.

But then there’s Jairus.

The turning point is not his story of loss, all too familiar, but the encouraging words of Christ to the distraught father moments after the message reached him: Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right. So simple, yet so profound. Jesus was in effect telling Jairus, I’m not denying that you’ve heard bad things, and it’s terrible that your daughter has been sick and even died, according to these reports. But all I need you to do is trust me. When you do that, even the most hopeless situation will be turned for good. Stick with me, let’s keep walking towards your miracle.

And that’s the whole point – that no matter how difficult the journey gets, no matter how long it seems to take, or how far and hopeless the end looks, no matter how I feel as I go through my days, all he asks me to do is to stick with him. Keep moving. Keep pushing forward. Because there is a greater miracle at the end.

As Mary Anne Radmacher so aptly put it, Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, I’ll try again tomorrow.

Try again tomorrow. Stick with it.