But Hannah replied, "No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD." -1 Sam. 1:15
Year after year Hannah tried to have a baby. Year after year she was barren. She must have gone through considerable pain as a result of her childlessness, especially in light of the cultural expectations of childbearing in her day. There must have been tears and doubts and confusion. But, Hannah's response to her painful situation was to pour out her soul before God.
At one point, Hannah was praying so feverishly in the temple, Eli the priest thought she was drunk! Actually, she was far from being drunk—she was going to God in the midst of her sorrow. When she was finished praying, she left and "her face was no longer sad" (v. 18). What happened? It's not like God promised her a child or she walked away with a son—how was she able to process her sadness and carry on? Simply put, she poured out her soul to God.
It just so happens that Hannah shortly thereafter conceived and bore a son Samuel, the man who would grow up to anoint the first and second kings of Israel! But, the most inspiring part of Hannah's story was not her having a son, or her decision to raise him in the temple, or her son's eventual notoriety—it's that she found solace in God before she knew any of that was ever to happen.
What's our response to painful situations? Amidst tears, doubts, and confusion, do we pour out our souls to God? We must learn to find solace in God, even before we know how things will turn out. Then, our faces will no longer be sad.
No comments:
Post a Comment