READING: 1 Samuel 1-3, Luke 15:11-32
Life can be difficult and painful at times—so difficult that it’s almost impossible to pray out loud. The anguish is so great that even verbalizing it aloud can hurt. Still, we must turn to God in our toughest times.
That’s what Hannah did when she longed to have a child. Listen, in fact, to these descriptions of Hannah and to her own words of pain:
- “Hannah would weep and would not eat.” (1 Sam 1:7)
- “Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.” (1 Sam 1:10)
- “I am a woman with a broken heart.” (1 Sam 1:15)
- “I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord.” (1 Sam 1:15)
- “I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.” (1 Sam 1:16)
You can just sense the depth of grief here. Year after year, she remained barren—and year after year, nothing would change. Nevertheless, Hannah just kept praying. Then, in His timing, the Lord remembered her and gave her a child . . . in His time and in response to her prayers. No wonder her heart rejoiced in the Lord!
I don’t know what you’re facing today, but I do know you need to keep praying. Even if you pray only silently, God still hears.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You that we can turn to You in times of struggle.”
DAILY ACTION STEP: If you need to, cry out to the Lord today—even if you do so silently.
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Samuel 4-8, Luke 16
