Thank you for joining me on this study of Hannah, wife of Elkanah in the Old Testament. I have enjoyed getting to know her and learning from her example of healing from life’s hurt. What was Hannah’s hurt? She was childless. She was heart broken over this. To add salt to her wound, her rival Penninah bullied her and provoked her to tears and despair. Please refresh your memory of her story in 1 Samuel 1:4-2:10.
What I love about Hannah’s story is the 3 little words I found in 1 Samuel 1:6. After she had been through a time of bitter weeping and inability to eat. She made a decision. She stood up.
“Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up.”
Of course I envision her sitting at the table and then actually standing up. But more than that, I realized that Hannah made a decision in her heart and mind to change her circumstance. No longer was she going to mope around and feel sorry for herself. She stood up emotionally and purposed to take action. I love that.
What action did she take? She prayed. Now this was not just a half-hearted prayer. It was the kind of prayer that involves your entire heart to the point bitter weeping (see verse 10). She poured her heart out to her Heavenly Father. I can just see her now – red swollen eyes, runny nose. I can just hear her too – the kind of praying that doesn’t come out in complete sentences and doesn’t always make sense. That is… it doesn’t make sense to anyone but the Lord. After all, He listens to our heart not our actual words. This deep soul wrenching prayer was the first step to Hannah’s healing.
This is what God wants from us. He wants our hearts poured out to Him so He can fill it with His peace.
What about you my friend? What is your deepest hurt right now? Have you stood up from your emotional despair and make the decision to take action? God is waiting to hear from you. Tell Him all about it.
JOURNALING PROMPTS 1. When was the last time you prayed a prayer that left you completely drained of energy and exhausted? What happened next?
2. What is keeping you from “weeping bitterly” before God right now concerning your deepest pain?
3. What does this quote mean to you?
Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.
~ Corrie Ten Boom
I look forward to meeting with you in my next blog post as we continue to learn lessons from Hannah.
What I love about Hannah’s story is the 3 little words I found in 1 Samuel 1:6. After she had been through a time of bitter weeping and inability to eat. She made a decision. She stood up.
“Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up.”
Of course I envision her sitting at the table and then actually standing up. But more than that, I realized that Hannah made a decision in her heart and mind to change her circumstance. No longer was she going to mope around and feel sorry for herself. She stood up emotionally and purposed to take action. I love that.
What action did she take? She prayed. Now this was not just a half-hearted prayer. It was the kind of prayer that involves your entire heart to the point bitter weeping (see verse 10). She poured her heart out to her Heavenly Father. I can just see her now – red swollen eyes, runny nose. I can just hear her too – the kind of praying that doesn’t come out in complete sentences and doesn’t always make sense. That is… it doesn’t make sense to anyone but the Lord. After all, He listens to our heart not our actual words. This deep soul wrenching prayer was the first step to Hannah’s healing.
This is what God wants from us. He wants our hearts poured out to Him so He can fill it with His peace.
What about you my friend? What is your deepest hurt right now? Have you stood up from your emotional despair and make the decision to take action? God is waiting to hear from you. Tell Him all about it.
JOURNALING PROMPTS 1. When was the last time you prayed a prayer that left you completely drained of energy and exhausted? What happened next?
2. What is keeping you from “weeping bitterly” before God right now concerning your deepest pain?
3. What does this quote mean to you?
Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.
~ Corrie Ten Boom
I look forward to meeting with you in my next blog post as we continue to learn lessons from Hannah.