1 Samuel 1-4
Maybe you’ve been there. The needs of your heart are great—overwhelming and agonizing, even. It seems they never go away—not unlike the anguish of a barren woman named Hannah in today’s reading whose rival had continually taunted her for her infertility. The phrases throughout the reading take us into her heart:
- “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. I haven’t had any wine or beer; 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)
In the midst of Hannah’s pain, though, she shows us what we need to do with that pain: pray to the Lord. With weeping. While forgoing eating. Pouring out our heart. From the depth of our being. Driven by anguish. With honesty. Just run to the Lord.
RESPONSE: Pour your heart out to the Lord, giving Him all your burdens.