When in pain remember how Hannah coped in agony

There is a fallacy in believing that Christians should not be sad, have sad moments, or that all should be well in their life all of the time if they are truly a child of God.

I wish that were true, but that mindset is certainly not supported in the Word of God. Ask Job, Samson, Jonah, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, just to name but a few.

Ask Hannah, my favourite biblical female. Her story speaks to my heart like no other. In spite of being a worshipper of God and a praying woman of faith, Hannah found that the very prayer of her heart went unanswered.

How could that be? She was faithful to God. She loved God. She prayed to God. All was well at home. She had a good husband and her husband really loved her.

Yet, with all of that, Hannah did not have her heart’s desire. Hannah was barren and that barrenness was not due to any sin that she might have committed or any wrong that she might have done to another.

That bareness was not due to a physical issue such as being prematurely menopausal, having trouble ovulating, or having an incompetent womb. No, Hannah’s barrenness was a choice that God made over her life. 

The Bible says, “But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.” 1 Samuel 1:5

From the account of Hannah you must understand that there are times when your life pain is totally known and owned by God.

When God permits pain, He will use that pain in order to show forth His glory. God knows who He can trust to outlast their pain, and outshine their own agony. Hannah was such a person.

In the midst of that unwelcome state, Hannah did some things to prove that God was right (of course) to trust that her faith would outlast the failure of her body to reproduce.

Hannah:

1. Was real – Hannah wept in pain because that was how she felt. Hannah did not perpetrate as if all was well. No. There was something wrong and she was quite human and quite right to be real about it and demonstrate her sorrow.

2. Wept – Hannah emitted a deep cry and sense of inner pain from within herself. She was not quiet. Anyone who was in her midst knew that she was very sad.

3. Walked away from food – Hannah’s state was so sad that her desire to eat went away from her. Pain can cause one’s body to come under a self-attack. That is, when the person in pain actually makes another decision that will only result in more pain.

4. Was in bitterness of soul – What a state to be in! Not just sad, but bitter! That is most serious. Yet you can celebrate that even in a bitter state, Hannah knew to go to the house of God. What a lesson for you today. That even in a poor state, the best place to go is where God’s presence will be felt.

5. Went to God in prayer – Hannah spoke to the only one who could do a thing for her. Hannah went to the highest power there is. In all of her personal pain, Hannah still knew that she had a personal relationship with God.

6. Was blessed in God’s House – Initially, Hannah had been misunderstood, but then the priest got the understanding, turned around, and spoke a benediction of blessings over her.

7. Worshipped – Hannah left God’s house worshipping, went to her house, and the next morning she and her husband worshipped God in Shiloh. Then they returned home in Ramar and worshipped some more.

There you have it Bermuda. The key to your dilemma is to worship God. It may take a while before God answers your prayers, but know that “God is a wonder” and that He is willing and ready to do wonderful things for you.

Respice finem.