Hannah from the Bible and Life lessons from her!

Hannah's admirable traits are not always so prevalent in today’s world. But most of all, her story offers great hope to all of us when we are facing difficult and impossible situations.



Hannah had a problem

Don’t we all? Look around you. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle or struggling with a broken heart.

Hannah’s problem was infertility. She longed for a child. In her day and culture, society required people to bear children, and if they did not, it believed they were cursed by God. Neighbors judged and frowned upon someone with no children. Added to this already heartbreaking dilemma was the fact that the other wife of Hannah’s husband ridiculed and taunted Hannah, making her feel even worse and more heartbroken.

You may be facing a heartbreaking problem right now. It may not be infertility. It may be some other issue, but whatever it is, please read on because Hannah’s story offers you hope, direction, and blessings.

Hannah persevered

The scriptures say that every year Hannah’s husband took the whole family to worship the Lord and make the sacrifices that God had commanded in the Old Testament. And every year, Hannah had to endure the ridicule of the other wife. She could have understandably used this as an excuse to not go to this annual worship service. Instead, she chose to be faithful and attended the services, she chose to be humble and to trust in God’s love and power.

You may wonder where God is in your struggles. God knows your pain, and He cares about it. Just because God does not answer your prayers doesn’t mean He doesn’t care. God has a plan for you just as He did for Hannah. What God wants you to do is to be like Hannah, to trust Him, worship Him, and stay humble and sweet.

Hannah prayed

While attending the annual worship service, she took her problems to God through prayer. The verses in I Samuel, Chapter 1 say this about Hannah:

She wept in anguish. (v 10)

She made her request to God. (v. 11) We should do the same.

She made a vow to God. (v. 11) We should commit our ways to God.

She continued in prayer. (v. 12) Jesus says we should be persistent in prayer. (Lk 18:1)

She prayed with her heart. (v. 12) 

She poured out her soul. (v. 15-16) Being fervent in prayer is effective. (cf. James 5:16)

Hannah promised

Hannah understood that God’s gifts to us should be used to honor Him. When we honor God, He honors us. (I Sam 2:30)

Think about how difficult this must have been for Hannah to do—to take her little son after he was weaned and leave him with the priest because she had vowed to consecrate the child to God’s service! Yet, as hard and painful as it must have been, she did not back out on what she had promised God.

Hannah prospered

I Sam 2:19 says that Hannah saw her firstborn son, Samuel, every year when she went up to the annual worship service with her family. How it must have pleased and comforted her to see her son learning and growing into a man of God! (v. 21)

v.20 says that God blessed Hannah with several more children: three sons and two daughters.

God rewarded Hannah’s faith and faithfulness. God promises to reward our faith as well and commands us that we MUST believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

The story of Hannah will lift your heart, give you hope and direction that will lead you to an outcome of fulfillment, rejoicing, and praise to God.
 

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