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Day Five: Don’t Be Afraid to Dig Deep

Being willing to press in and approach God’s throne with a friend reminds me of the story of Hannah in the Bible. I Samuel 1 tells the story of a woman who desperately wanted a baby, yet she could not conceive. Her husband, Elkanah, had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Verses 6 and 7 tell us that “because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival (Peninnah) kept provoking her to irritate her. This went on year after year.”

Can you imagine the heartache Hannah felt each month she discovered her womb was still empty? Instead of growing angry, Hannah took her problem to the only One who could solve it – God. Verse 10 explains, “In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’”

She was so troubled and intent in her prayers that the passage goes on to explain that Eli, the priest, observing her prayers to God, assumed she was drunk because her lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. After she explained her deep distress and not being drunk, he agreed with her in prayer, then instructed her to “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

The very next day, the Bible says, “the Lord remembered her,” and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, whom she named Samuel. She fulfilled her vow when he was old enough and presented him to the Lord to live with Eli at the temple.

However, God didn’t just bless Hannah with one son, Samuel. We read in I Samuel 2:21, “And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.”

When we choose to go deep with God, He meets us where we are and takes us further than we can imagine. Hannah knew God was the only One who could open her womb and grant the desires of her heart. I knew God was the only One who could heal me from depression, and He did. Hannah was blessed with five children in her lifetime; God chose to heal me from an intense fear of winter driving, depression, holiday depression, and panic attacks. I’m grateful my Sister in Christ was willing to pray and believe alongside me for that healing, the way that Eli agreed with Hannah for her healing.

What are you trusting God for in your life – healing from something or victory over something else? Do you trust that He can and that He will? Do you trust God enough to go deep in your relationship with Him?

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the opportunity to dig deep with fellow Sisters in Christ. Let me experience the level of sweet communion in ways that fill my spirit so I, in turn, can share Your Joy and Peace with others. Please bring sisters into my life who will laugh, cry, and have my back, and let me return the blessings of friendship to them as well. I’m excited to see what Your plans are for my life and my sisters' lives.

In Jesus’ name, Amen