Hannah: Anguished Prayers

READ: 1 SAMUEL 1:1-10; 2:1, 21

Recently, I had the opportunity to share with some friends about a woman from the Bible. As I started reading about Hannah in preparation to share her story, a few things stuck out to me. Hannah was seeking the Lord consistently as she prayed for a child. First Samuel 1:10 describes this prayer as marked by deep anguish and bitter crying. This was very relatable for me.

Even now, I have something deeply personal that I am asking of the Lord in prayer. Often, my prayers are covered in tears. Sometimes I find myself thinking, When will the Lord answer? I wonder if Hannah thought that too. You see, Scripture says that Hannah’s prayers for a child went on year after year. She kept seeking the Lord. Yet, she was also honest about the sadness she felt during this time.

Miraculously, the Lord gave Hannah a child—Samuel! Not only that, but Hannah went on to have three more sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21). I can only imagine how excited Hannah must have been! And after Samuel was born, she continued to pray, praising the Lord for His faithfulness. Hannah found her strength and joy in the Lord (1 Samuel 2:1).

Hannah’s story taught me that it’s okay to pour out our hearts to the Lord with honesty and emotion. You and I are not meant to carry what we’re going through alone. The Lord is with us, and He wants us to invite Him into every part of our lives. Especially the painful, messy parts. I think the Lord wants to create something new in you and me today—maybe a desire to seek Him, peace in His presence, trust in His character, or joy in glorifying Him. Whatever the Lord has in mind, you and I can trust in His plans, purposes, and promises, just like Hannah did. • Daevis McMurphy

• Have you ever prayed for something for a long time without seeing any hope? Sometimes we might feel like we just can’t keep praying. But Jesus is with us, and He feels our sorrow as His own. We don’t need to be embarrassed of our tears, because our Savior weeps with us, and He longs to comfort us in His loving arms. Because He died and rose again for us, there is always hope. (Isaiah 40:11; Matthew 26:36-46; John 11:35; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 21:1-5)

• Can you think of any ways you’ve seen God’s faithfulness, or even an answer to prayer? Consider taking some time to rejoice in the Lord and praise Him today, whether it be through singing, dancing, writing praises to Him, or something else!

Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD! The LORD has made me strong...I rejoice because you rescued me.” 1 Samuel 2:1 (NLT)