“For this boy I prayed, and the Lᴏʀᴅ has given me the request that I asked of him. So I also dedicate him to the Lᴏʀᴅ. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lᴏʀᴅ.” Then he bowed down there in worship to the Lᴏʀᴅ.” – 1 Samuel 1:27–28
I love Hannah.
Her resolve to wait and remain above reproach, even in the midst of disappointment, but even more so in the midst of insult is, to this very day, so incredibly inspiring to me. Hannah knew deep personal pain. She was not only unable to conceive children of her own at the time, but her husband’s second wife, Peninnah bore many sons and daughters. As if that wasn’t enough salt on the wound, Peninnah was mean. She was a mean girl. Yes, there were mean girls in the Bible.
“Her rival used to aggravate her to the point of exasperation, just to irritate her, since the Lord had not enabled her to have children.” – 1 Samuel 1:6
If that’s not a mean girl then I don’t know what is.
For me, one of Hannah’s many admirable character traits is that despite all the repeated ridicule, harassment, and provocation from Peninnah, she did not give in to her flesh and did not react in anger. Instead, she lifted her eyes to the Lord in fervent prayer. “As for Hannah, she was very distressed. She prayed to the Lord and was, in fact, weeping” (1 Samuel 1:10).
What is important to note here is that Hannah’s emotional state was not overlooked, it was acknowledged and highlighted. She was both distressed and crying while praying. We don’t have to have it all together or shove down our emotions and feelings before kneeling before our Father. Hannah understood that the only One who could handle her broken heart and provide the relief she desperately desired was God.
The Lord heard Hannah in her distress and blessed her with Samuel, her firstborn son. She followed through on her word that she would give him up to the Lord’s service. What a difficult sacrifice that must have been, but in her sacrifice, the Lord used it for His glory, as He always does, even today. Hannah gave the Lord everything that mattered to her.
It took me walking through a divorce to fully surrender everything to the Lord. I thought I was living in total surrender, but I quickly learned there were places in my life that I still held with a tight grip, thinking I could handle on my own. My children. My finances. My future. My fears. My disappointments. Even in a season where I felt like I had no choice in the matter, I did have a choice. It was the choice to rejoice, even in the pain and suffering.
Hannah prayed for the impossible and we can too.
The Lord is always working in our seasons of waiting.
My children and I experienced the Lord’s faithfulness in our season of waiting. We prayed every night for over a year, thanking the Lord for the roof over our head (even though the house was up for sale) and verbally spoke our faith and trust that He had a good and perfect plan for us, even as we waited.
We are not victims of divorce, but recipients of God’s beautiful redemption. He always had a plan.
When the house sold, the listing I found in my price range had not only just been listed that very day, but it had just finished being built. As we were waiting and praying and not giving in to fear or becoming bitter over our circumstances, God was building us a house! Our home will forever be known as the house that God built.
As God saw the mockery and mean-spiritedness of Peninnah towards Hannah, He saw Hannah’s brokenness and blessed her. Our God does this for us, too. Maybe not in the exact same way, but He is always working in our circumstances, regardless of what we can see.
My prayer over you today might feel impossible, but it’s that your heart remains tender, even in the trial. That the character and beautiful heart of Hannah would encourage you to remain resolved in your faithfulness to the Lord, who sees all, who hears all, and who is the One who truly fights our battles. Allow Him to deal with the mean ones, those who judge or wrongfully accuse. May you courageously and humbly live a life that is honoring and bless-able.
Week 3 Challenge:
Who in your life is a mighty prayer warrior? This week, take the time to encourage her and let her know how her prayers have impacted you.
Week 3 Reading Plan
Week 3 Memory Verse
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