Hannah’s True Peace
Written By: Lori Duran
March 19, 2022
As I started to think about the women of the Bible who showed peace in times of difficulty, Hannah kept coming to my mind. If you don’t recall Hannah, let me paint you a picture of her life. Hannah was one of two wives to Elkanah, (yes, I know, and that is another topic…). Hannah was barren and was not able to have children. The Bible specifically says, “…the Lord had closed her womb” (1 Samuel 1:5, NIV). Peninnah was the other wife to Elkanah, and she was, in fact, able to have children, and it seems as though Peninnah used this to her advantage, and to provoke Hannah. But, Elkanah loved Hannah, as was shown in his actions towards her, and he knew that Hannah’s inability to provide him children weighed heavily upon her…
The time had come for Hannah’s family to go to the house of the Lord, and the Bible says she came with “…bitterness of soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Samuel 1:10 NKJV). Hannah made a vow to God that if he would bless her with a child, she would dedicate him to Lord, and in her moment of vulnerability before the Lord, Eli the priest saw Hannah. At first, he thought she was drunk, but later he realized that she was simply pouring her heart out to God.
Scripture says that the prophet Eli then blessed Hannah, and she was no longer sad as she left the temple. It is in this moment that you see the shift in Hannah’s demeanor. I see a woman who brought her situation to God. The constant teasing, the daily reminders of what could not be, the emptiness she felt, and all that had weighed on her mind and heart were brought before God. Hannah had not yet received the results of her heartfelt prayer, but rather than walking away in sorrow, she walked away in peace.
When do we choose to find our true peace in God? Is it when we have an answer to our situations that we find peace? Or is it when we are done wrestling with our difficult circumstances? How many times do we go before God wanting Him to intervene in our situations, but walk away still holding onto them? We do not fully surrender our circumstances to God, and therefore allow them to interfere with our day-to-day...
God does not want that for us. He doesn’t want us to be weighed down with the burdens of life. No, it’s quite the opposite. 1Peter 5:7 (NKJV) says, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” You don’t have to live with anxiety or worry. God wants you to leave with peace, if only you will allow Him to give it to you.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trust in you.” I don’t know how long Hannah let her situation dwell in her mind, and heart before she was finished holding onto it. What I do know is that Hannah didn’t wait for the results of her prayer before her mindset changed. She chose to surrender all, and to trust God with her barrenness.
You may not be dealing with barrenness like Hannah, but we are all living this life together and it comes with many challenges. There are health issues, past failures, the loss of a loved ones, marital problems, and the list goes on. There is no situation too big or too small that you cannot trust in the hands of God. Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Your Challenge This Week
So, I challenge you to take time this week and evaluate the circumstances in your life that have been weighing heavily on your heart. Bring them all to God and trust Him! Do not let another day go by walking in sorrow or with anxiety, but instead walk away with God’s peace, today! I hope this spoke to your heart as it did to mine.
