She kneeled down and began to pray. Tears streamed down her face as she unashamedly poured her heart out to the Lord.
Hannah was an ordinary woman with ordinary struggles.
But she was more than just her difficulties. She knew who her God was and how He could turn her circumstance around.
Although Hannah was an ordinary woman, she had an extraordinary God.
Hannah is an example to all Christian women. Here’s why:
Her life was not perfect.
Hannah’s story is told in 1 Samuel 1.
Just from that one chapter we learn that Hannah was married to a man who had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not (1 Sam. 1:2). That must have been extremely hard for Hannah to deal with everyday.
In those days, not being able to have children was looked upon very poorly.
First Samuel 1:6-7 says, “And her rival (Peninnah) used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.“
Hannah had to deal with guilt, shame, infertility, and the bullying of Peninnah.
She turned to God when things got tough.
Hannah probably cried often. She became depressed about all the things she had to deal with. She was completely human.
But she never forgot who her God was.
“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.” (1 Sam. 1:10)
When life became to much to handle, she turned to God. She opened her heart up to Him. She laid her troubles and concerns out to Him. She gave Him all control.
She prayed to God when things got tough. She turned herself over to Him when she was in her broken state. She let Him have control over her life.
She was a prayer warrior.
This is the thing I love most about Hannah.
She came before God unashamed. She unapologetically opened herself to Him. She was not afraid what others thought of her as she prayed.
First Samuel 1:13-16 tells us that “Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, ” No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been poring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
She prayed to God and God alone. She didn’t worry about what others thought.
Hannah had a request on her heart and trouble in her soul. She came to God and prayed to Him unashamedly.
Hannah’s life was not perfect. But she turned to God when things got tough and opened her heart to Him in prayer.
Hannah was an ordinary woman with ordinary struggles just like you and me. But she knew who her God was and gave her circumstance to Him. You can too.
In His amazing love,
Hannah Marie
What do you love most about Hannah’s character? How do you relate to her story?
