Hannah Was Not Easily Provoked
When Peninnah continued to pester Hannah and tease her to tears, Hannah didnt lash out. Im sure there were times when Hannah felt like giving up, running away, or saying harsh things back to Peninnah.
She could have said something like you have children, but Elkanah loves me more and gives me a double portion. Or perhaps she might have criticized Peninnahs mothering and the actions of her children.
We dont know a lot about their relationship except for the few verses, but what we see is that when Hannah felt overwhelmed by tears due to Peninnahs words, she didnt go tattle to her husband. Instead, Elkanah had to ask her what was wrong.
When life hands you difficult people it can be easy to share negativity about that person everywhere you go. Do you know what so and so did now? They are so rude!
Even when Hannah was praying at the temple, she didnt spill her sorrows with Eli and tell him how difficult her life was and what a horrible person Peninnah was. Instead, she simply said she was praying because of great anguish.
When you are facing a challenging relationship, remember to go to God about it rather than sharing your dirty laundry with everyone. Be careful to not enter into a verbal fight when you can choose to walk away.
Be Honest And Transparent With God About Your Feelings
Hannahs burden was great and her spirit was crushed by the weight of her sorrow. 1 Samuel 1:10 reflects the depth of her turmoil and anxiety.
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
Yet Hannah did not mask her feelings or pretend that she was doing alright. She brought her deep sorrow and darkest moments before the Lord. Even though she was in agony, she knew she could trust her heart to God and that His power was no match for the bitterness of her soul.
And like Hannah in the Bible, we too, should lay our transparent feelings before God. No matter how dark our thoughts or how enraged we feel, God can take our honesty and transparency.
Summary Of Hannahs Story
If you are unfamiliar with Hannahs story, its found in 1 Samuel 1 and flows into 1 Samuel 2, but here is a quick summary. Hannah was one of her husband Elkanahs two wives. Each year they all would travel to make sacrifices and worship God. Since Hannah could not have children, her husbands other wife Peninnah would taunt and make fun of her. Eventually, all that Hannah went through led her to ask God for a son promising to give that son back to him for the rest of his life if He granted the request.
Eli, the priest, walked in on Hannah praying and accused her of being drunk because her lips were moving but she could not be heard. Hannah quickly corrects him, he offers some encouraging words, and then she left his presence feeling better. In time, she does give birth to a son and after weaning him, she dedicates him back to the Lord as she promised she would.
Lets now look at each of the life lessons from Hannah in more detail.
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Assumptions Can Lead To Problems
When Eli thought Hannah was drunk, she was in a weak position emotionally. The Bible says In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly . In that state, what Eli told Hannah could have placed her in a worse position, potentially leading her to her breaking point. After all, Hannah was placed in that state because Elkanahs other wife Peninnah routinely provoked her to irritate her.
When we see things its natural to draw conclusions. But while we may not be able to prevent ourselves from doing so, we must remember that things arent always what they seem. Knowing this keeps us from incorrectly saying or doing the wrong thing in response.
Proverbs 25:7-8 highlights this saying What you have seen with your eyes do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame? Without a doubt, we are embarrassed when we take action on a false assumption.
Therefore, in life, whenever you feel the urge to say or do something because of something you think you saw, remember that Hannah appeared to be drunk by Eli, but was actually praying in deep anguish. Take the safe route and give people the benefit of the doubt because things arent always what they seem.
What Type Of Woman Was Hannah In The Bible
Through the Bible, there are numerous accounts of solid and brave ladies. In this series, we will investigate a report of a reliable scriptural lady every month. With their solid confidence, the Bible ladies keep showing us how to live credible, confidence-filled lives. Regardless of our conditions, we can wind up in their accounts.
The Book of Samuel tells us of a young lady named Hannah, a beautiful type of female, who was hitched by a man called Elkanah. They were particularly infatuated be that as it may, Hannah was fruitless. It is guessed that because Hannah couldnt have youngsters, Elkanah took one more spouse at Hannahs solicitation. At that point, this was a typical practice. He cherished Hannah more than his other spouse, Peninnah however, Peninnah was astoundingly prolific and brought forth a few children and little girls.
Elkanah was profoundly enamored with his infertile spouse Hannah, rather than the rich Peninnah. Peninnah trusted that her capacity to give youngsters to her significant other would make him love her more than Hannah. This caused considerable melancholy for the two ladies. One spouse was infertile and needed kids, and one wife rich and needed love.
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Hannah Never Stop Praying
Of course, we cant read between the lines and only have a snapshot in these two chapters, but what the Bible tells us of Hannah is that she was in prayer about her trials.
When Peninnah was provoking her to tears, Hannah went to pray. When her heart was breaking year after year, she continued to pray.
In life, there are a myriad of things that can overwhelm us or seem unfair. We will face trials that seem too big to handle.
But taking our worries, disappointments, and tears to God is the only place where they can be healed and changed.
Hannah didnt give up praying for a son after 6 months. While the Bible doesnt tell us exactly how long prayed for a child, it does say that year after year she continued to be barren.
After Samuel was born, she continued to pray and praise God for his blessings. Her beautiful prayer is recorded as she persists in praying to God in the good times and in the bad.
When you have prayed through a difficult time, remember to praise God in the end. Thank Him for the answers to prayers that He is provided every single day. Keep your relationship strong and focused on God during the difficult and the easy times.
Better To Not Make Promises
Since promises are a big deal, its probably better to avoid making them as much a possible. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says
It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, My vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 NIV
This verse indicates that God doesnt ignore unkept promises. He actually gets angry and it ends up hurting us.
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Hannah Knew Her Only Hope Was In God Alone
Other women who could not conceive are also mentioned in the Bible. When Abrahams wife Sarah was getting too old to have a child, she told her husband to sleep with their maidservant.
When Rachel, Jacobs wife, was not bearing any children, she told her husband to give her children or else she would die. But when Hannah remained childless for so many years, she went straight to the source of life: Almighty God. If God himself did not make the way, then there was no other way for it to happen.
We can often become impatient with Gods timing, lose hope in His promises, or try to do things our own way. But Hannah was a woman whose hope was completely in the Lord and who trusted His timing, faithfulness, and power. Because of that, God rewarded her with the desire of her heart.
What Does Hannahs Story Teach Us
Hannah, in the Bible, likewise spelled Anna , mother of Samuel, the Jewish adjudicator. Childless as one of the two spouses of Elkanah, she petitioned God for a child, promising to commit him to God. Her requests were replied to, and she carried Samuel to Shiloh for rigorous preparation.
Hannahs story instructs us that our confidence in God permits Him to favor us. Her confidence in God as she went to Him, her profound longing for kids, and her unwavering ness in carrying Samuel to God guaranteed confirm God is working in Hannahs life. Hannah confided in God without uncertainty or concern.
In the scriptural works, Hannah is one of the two spouses of Elkanah. The other spouse, Peninnah, had brought forth Elkanahs kids. However, Hannah couldnt bear youngsters. Hannah is additionally remembered to be a prophetess. In her tune of thanksgiving , she is propelled to perceive in her own singular experience the all-inclusive laws of the heavenly economy, and to perceive its importance for the entire course of the Kingdom of God.
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Trust Him Just As Hannah Did
Though sometimes its hard to see and understand what God is doing and why the answer to our deepest longings are taking so long, we can be confident, He hears our prayers and Hes at work. His timing may seem off to us, but we dont know all that He knows. He simply asks us to trust Him, just as Hannah did. He invites us to come to Him and bring our heart-cries, our pain, our longings, and our brokenness. He will never turn us away or have a deaf ear to our struggle. He is fully trust-worthy, fully loving, and fully kind.
Just as Hannah praised God for being a Rock, we too can lean fully on Him. In our ever-changing, hectic world, it may be difficult to know what, or who, we can really trust anymore. But God is secure, Hes our sure foundation, our solid Rock. We can rely on Him who never changes to hold us steady in every tumultuous time. Our God is forever faithful.
No matter what youre facing today, hope in Him. He will never fail. And He is with you, always.
Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, mom to three amazing kids . Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead’s page, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. Find her also on and at her blog www.debbiemcdaniel.com.
What Did Hannah Promise God
Hannah, in the Bible, was truly miserable because she could never have children. In those days, you were a pariah if you didnt have children. Along these lines, Hannah went to God and appealed to God for a kid. She realized that she was unable to get it going all alone. God must play out a marvel. Hannah was so frantic for God to answer her request that she guaranteed something to God.
Assuming that God will give her a child, Hannah in the Bible promised she would give the youngster back to God. God addressed her request, and Hannah had a child named Samuel! When Samuel was only four years of age, Hannah carried him to live with a minister named Eli, who prepared him to work in the sanctuary.
Could you envision how hard that probably was for Hannah to allow her child to live elsewhere when she had stood by so long to be a mother? It was tough however, here is the reason Hannah got it done. To start with, she guaranteed God to make it happen. Second, she comprehended that God had given her the endowment of a youngster, so Samuel honestly had a place with God, not her. This is the very thing that this story educates us about. We might expect things and will implore truly difficult to get them however, we may not. Necessarily in every case, we find the solution we need.
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A Full Reward Be Given Thee
Like Ruth and Hannah, all of us will experience adversity. We may not always understand the Lordâs design for our lives, but it is my testimony that we are never alone. He is ever with us, and He promises us, âYe cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulationâ .
I am grateful for the pattern of faith, hope, and charity that is shown to me in the lives of righteous women in the scriptures. I am also grateful for my mother, who trusted in the Lord and leaned not unto her own understanding . I believe that what was said to Ruth could be said of my mother and grandmother and the many others who navigate lifeâs challenges with faith and trust in the Lord: âThe Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord ⦠under whose wings thou art come to trustâ .
Note
Lectures on Faith , 1.
Ruth and Naomi, by Judith A. Mehr
Illustrated by Robert T. Barrett
Hannah Carried The Prophetic Gift
Hannahs second prayer is not just a prayer of praise, but its prophetic and powerful. If you were to just sit and study through all its verses of the prayer you would see so many things she prophesied are cross-referenced in the New Testament.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed. 1 Samuel 2:10
Samuel was to be the last and greatest Judge of Israel. He would be the one to anoint the first king of Israel. So, who is this king she is talking about??
Well, its all about JESUS! The word anointed is the same word used for the Messiah.
How beautiful is that! Hannah went from desperate prayer and a vow to a prayer of rejoicing, gladness, and declaration of the coming Christ!
God can take any circumstance and turn it around for our good and blessing. Hallelujah!
Hannah has always been an inspiration for me. A mighty woman of prayer, sacrifice, and dedication!
And I hope these lessons from Hannah in the Bible has blessed you. Please, feel free to drop me a comment below and share with me what God is saying and doing in your life! Hes doing great things in you!
And for more on prayer check out my posts below!
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Lesson #4 Prayers Of Faith Almost Always Require Patience
God answers prayers. But the answers are not always yes nor are they always immediate.
Sometimes the answer is: wait.
That was the reality in Hannahs case.
The Bible says:
So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.
Hannah had to keep praying and believing. It took some time before the Word of promise was fulfilled.
Delay is not always denial. Sometimes Gods delays are just a set up for God to get the glory.
If you find yourself in such a situation, be patient. Gods timing is perfect.
Keep Your Promises To God
Hannah didnt just keep a promise, she kept a promise to God. Oftentimes, because God is unseen, we may neglect the promises we make to him but keep the promises we make to people. We may promise to spend time with him but let commitments made to people get in the way. Like Hannah, in our distress, we may promise God to do things to get him to grant us our desires, but after receiving it we forget.
Making a promise and not keeping is basically lying. So if we make a promise to God and not keep it we are lying to God! Realizing this, Hannah likely did her very best to follow through on what she promised God. Imagine how hard it would have been to give up your only child after waiting so long. No wonder Hannahs husband Elkanah told her may the Lord help you keep your promise .
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Hannah Was Faithful To Her Promise
Promises are easy to make. You can promise almost anything when you really want something in return. Hannah made a huge promise to God. She promised that if God would give her a son, she would give him back.
Its hard to imagine waiting this long for a child and then being willing to give him back, but Hannah had promised God and she was faithful to uphold her promise.
She faithfully took care of Samuel even after she took him to the temple as she sewed clothes for him every year. Her mothers heart was faithful in love for her son, but also faithful to God. Because of her faithfulness, she had additional children after Samuel.
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Hannah Had A Gentle And Quiet Spirit
It says in 1 Peter 3:4 that women should have the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Hannah was no exception. Although she was provoked on every side, she did not retaliate. When Penninah threw insults at her, Hannah did not react back nor did she speak badly of her to Elkanah.
When Elkanah asked Hannah if he was worth more to her than ten sons, she did not respond with a sarcastic remark. When Eli the priest asked her if she was drunk when she was praying, she gave a humble and honest reply. Hannahs gentle and quiet spirit is reflected in the way she was able to tame her tongue in these situations.
There are many circumstances in our lives that we can justify reacting in a way that does not honor God. But no matter how people treat us, we are called to refrain from quarrelsome behavior. Hannah exhibited this precious quality in Gods sight and shows us how to live a life worthy of the calling we have received.
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