Hannah’s Perseverance
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-19
Hannah was barren and wanted a baby more than anything in the world. Peninnah, her husbands other wife, had many children. Year after year, Peninnah publicly humiliated and insulted Hannah, but Hannah never retaliated. Perhaps Hannah did not respond to this humiliation and scorn because she thought God would reward her if she held her peace. Perhaps she thought that she could persuade God to bless her with a child if she continued to suffer silently. People think strange things, even about God, when they are desperate.
Unfortunately, after years, the situation did not change for Hannah. Peninnah continued to ostracize Hannah and Peninnah continued to have beautiful babies. Meanwhile Hannah suffered and remained barren.
Hannah must have felt: I’m adhering to God’s commandments, while my enemy makes every attempt to destroy me, and the Lord continually blesses her. I thought God would be on my side if I withheld my anger, and did not attempt any revenge toward her. Peninnah is breaking my heart every day, and God is still blessing her, and I’m still barren. What a pitiful predicament for Hannah.
Let me ask you a personal question. Have you ever been lied on? A filthy lie, that does not have a shred of truth. Even though there was nothing in your background or character to support the accusation, people actually believed the liar, and not you. Your reputation was damaged and the liar continued to prosper.
When the Lord is merciful to those who deliberately hurt us, it can cause feelings of abandonment and hopelessness. These emotions often interfere with sound thinking and contribute to mental and spiritual confusion.
Hannah must have felt degraded not only because of her low self worth, but because of a culture that considered women without children to be cursed. It seemed that Hannah received no sympathy from the other women of her community, because they blamed her for her barreness. Hannah’s husband loved her, and Hannah was grateful for his love. But deep down in her soul, she still needed her baby.
But somehow, Hannah held on to her integrity and refused to allow herself to become bitter toward anyone. She must have understood that only God controlled her future, not her enemies. She must have understood that as much as their piercing words broke her heart, God was the only one who had power to deliver her from her misery. In spite of the injustice she felt, she knew God was a good God. In spite of being tormented by her enemies, she knew God was not a respector of persons. Hannah and Job had a rare and similar relationship with God. Job said, though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15).
It became more and more obvious that Hannah trusted Him too.
Some how, Hannah digged down deep and found the strength to make a decision. Hannah decided to seek God. She must have said to herself, since God has all power and He loves me, then I’m going to give it all I’ve got. I’m going to seek GOD more than I ever have before. I’m going to seek Him with all my with all my heart.
That year when they visited the temple, Hannah vowed to God that if He would bless her with a man child, she would dedicate that child to Him for the rest of his life. Hannah prayed and cried out to God so fervently that Eli, the priest, thought that she was drunk from wine. But she explained to the priest that she was broken hearted and was pouring out her soul to the Lord, because she desperately wanted a child. The priest, prayed that the Lord would grant her wish. And the Lord did. just that. One year later Hannah had a beautiful baby boy. His name was Samuel and he became the greatest judge, prophet, and priest of Israel.
We don’t know why God allowed Hannah to suffer all those years. We don’t know why we must suffer so much hardship in this life. But all we need to know is that God loves us, and if we seek Him with our whole heart, the situation will be fixed. Sometimes God will fix it exactly the way we want it to be fixed. And sometimes He will just fix it. But the problem will be resolved. They that seek Him diligently, shall not want any good thing. “God rewards those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6