“In the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.”
— 1 Samuel 1:20
Have you noticed that when you ask God for something, he doesn’t just swoop down his almighty hand and make it happen? Most of the time, he uses other people, and that was the case for Hannah too.
While she was weeping and praying in the Lord’s house, a priest named Eli saw her. At first, he accused her of being drunk, because her lips were moving but no sound was coming out. As if this poor woman didn’t have enough problems! But Hannah stood up for herself and told him that she had been praying out of “great anguish and grief” (verse 16). That must have really gotten to Eli, because he told her to go in peace, that God would grant her what she had asked of him.
Now, it was God who answered Hannah’s prayer — she did have the son she so longed for. But Eli went to God for her too, because Hannah was honest about her feelings. She didn’t pretend it was okay to be childless. She didn’t hide the grief that was tearing her apart. God doesn’t want us to put a happy face on something that aches inside us. Our feelings are there for a reason. Sharing them with people who love God too is the first step toward healing.
More To Explore: Ecclesiastes 4:9
Girl Talk: Has God ever answered your prayer by sending a person to help you?
God Talk: “Jesus, thank you for sending people into my life to help me when I need it. Use me to be an answer to other people’s prayers too. Amen.”
From That Is So Me by Nancy Rue