“And her [Hannah’s] rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she [Hannah] went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat….And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.” – 1 Samuel 1:6-7, 10
The book of 1 Samuel begins with the story of Hannah: a faithful woman who was barren.
To make matters worse, Hannah’s rival (Peninnah, her husband’s other wife) would constantly provoke her because of her barrenness. This caused Hannah to be miserable and overcome by sorrow. However, this did not cause Hannah to turn away from the Lord or doubt His sovereignty. Instead, she cried out to God and prayed fervently for a son.
Hannah’s actions provide a clear illustration for how we should respond to sorrow.
When terrible things happen in our lives, we may feel the need to mask the sorrow that we feel or allow the sorrow to drive us away from God. We may even want to just sit in that sorrow and allow bitterness to make a home in our hearts. It is so easy to do any of these things because like many other actions of the flesh, it feels great in the moment. But the truth is, you do not have to hide your true feelings from God nor do you have to become a slave to those feelings.
Instead, you can — and should — aspire to model Hannah’s behavior. She was honest with God about how she felt. Even in her bitter soul and anguish, she continued to pray. She even vowed to dedicate her son to the Lord.
She knew that God alone had the power to take away her shame, open up her womb, and give her a son. Because she knew who God really was, the sorrow she felt could not steal her faith.
To the person reading this, be encouraged by Hannah’s story of faith. Even in life’s darkest moments, know that it is okay to feel the sorrow but do not let the sorrow become your god. Take that sorrow and its source to the Lord in prayer. Pray fervently just as Hannah did. Remember that God is still in control and He is still very near to you, responding to the cries of your heart.
In case you have a specific situation causing you pain, you can read Hannah’s story (and also her song of praise) in 1 Samuel Chapter 1 – 1 Samuel Chapter 2:1-21. Her story was written for you to learn from and so that you can have hope and encouragement in your current situation. (Romans 15:4)
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for the joy of salvation and the eternal hope of glory that I have in You. Thank you Lord because you are still in control and you are still good no matter what terrible events occur in this earth. Lord, as tribulations come, help me to remember who You are and to constantly bring my concerns to you in prayer. Help me to not be consumed and led astray by my emotions but to instead find relief in You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.