Daily Bread: Hannah’s Story of Pain and Perseverance

😇 Shalom to all
God’s word today:

“Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.”
‭‭(1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Hannah’s situation seemed hopeless. She was heartbroken because she was childless, which was a source of disgrace for a Hebrew woman. Holding on to hope can be difficult when circumstances show no signs of improving. For believers, this can be even more discouraging because they know God could have fulfilled their hopes and remedied the situation, but He hasn’t. Yet, even in the midst of disappointment and pain Hannah kept her faith. The bible tells us that year after year she kept going to Shiloh to worship the Lord.

Perseverance like hers is a quality God highly values in His people. Endurance in trials leads to godly character and hope that “does not disappoint” (Romans 5:3-5 BSB)
– “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us…”

Great pain (sufferings) often drives us to God. Weeping bitterly, Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord and offered a sacrifice of the very thing she valued most—a child. She laid her hope at His feet and promised that if He fulfilled her desire, she’d give her son to be God’s servant.
Sometimes what we strive to hold can be kept only by surrendering it to God (Luke 9:24). May we learn from Hannah’s example of faith and pour out our heart to God. Let us release our hopes to the only One who can fulfill our desires or change them to match His will.

Bless you
ps caleblusi