Reaching Out to God When Pain OverwhelmsНамуна

“Bold to Pray”

Scripture reading: 1 Samuel 1; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8; Hebrews 4:14-16

First Samuel 1 tells us that Hannah was barren following her marriage, which caused her great pain on several levels. In her culture, Hannah’s personal, social, and marital value was pegged to her fertility. In addition, her polygamous husband had another wife who bore him children and who used that status to continually diminish Hannah.

Year after year, Hannah returned to the temple during the family’s regular pilgrimages to make appropriate sacrifices and implore God for an answer to her prayer and for relief from her suffering. Hannah longed for things to change in her pain journey. “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10). Hannah didn’t hide her despair, hopelessness, or pain but instead took them to the Lord.

When Eli, the priest, questioned her at the temple, thinking that in her quiet mumblings she was drunk, Hannah relayed her grief: “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief” (vv. 15-16).

After Hannah poured out her heart to God, “she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast” (v. 18).

Ultimately, God blessed Hannah with a child, Samuel, who was a great prophet of the nation of Israel. Without knowing of God’s eventual blessing, though, Hannah’s time with God had a threefold effect on her:

1.It allowed her to “go her way,” or resume her ordinary life.

2.Her appetite returned.

3.Her affect was lifted.

In the act of bringing her pain before God, Hannah found a level of relief.

Hannah’s prayers were associated with her presence in the temple. We don’t have that restriction and can approach our heavenly Father at any time in any place. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (4:16).

We can take an important lesson from Hannah. In our pain, we must not allow ourselves to become bitter or isolated but continue to pray for God’s healing and worship him while we wait.

Have you become weary or distracted in prayer? Today, begin again to seek God’s presence in prayer.