You’ve probably read the story of Hannah in the Bible (see 1 Samuel chapter 1). Hannah was a woman who struggled with perseverance not only physically, but emotionally as well. The Bible tells us God had closed her womb.
Her husband Elkanah had another wife, Peninnah, who in turn had several children. This meant that not only did Hannah live with the pain of infertility, but Peninnah taunted Hannah. Constantly. She flaunted her children in front of Hannah, continually reminding her that she could bear no children.
The situation was so bad, in fact, that Hannah would weep to the point where she couldn’t even eat.
This went on for years.
Not being able to have a child is difficult for any woman, but add to that the pain Peninnah inflicted, and her situation truly was unbearable.
The Bible says that Hannah’s husband tried to comfort her because he loved her dearly, but for Hannah, that wasn’t enough to take away her pain. Instead, in her distress, Hannah turned to the Lord:
O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head. – 1 Samuel 1:11
As Hannah prayed fervently at the temple that day, I don’t know if Eli the priest knew what she was asking the Lord for, but Eli told her to go in peace and that the God of Israel would grant her request.
And then, after all those years of suffering, the Bible says the Lord remembered her and Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
Can you imagine the joy she felt? The relief? The time of praise she must have spent celebrating and thanking God?
How about you?
- Is there a situation in your life where, like Hannah, you are waiting—perhaps a bit impatiently—on God’s timing?
- Is there something in your life that is hindering you from turning to God instead of persevering, like fear, pride, or jealousy?
Start by asking God to help you in your specific problem. Then pray that God will reveal what is hindering you from fully committing to him!
See also: What do YOU want from God?
Lisa Harris and her family have spent over ten years living as missionaries in Mozambique where she writes romantic suspense, leads a women’s group, and runs a non-profit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry to provide for people’s physical needs. When she’s not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari.
Leave A Comment