“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.” – 1 Samuel 1:10 (NIV)
Daily Meditation: 1 Samuel 1, 1 Samuel 2:1-21
Have you ever longed for something so deeply that you felt it in your very soul? Have you ever experienced pain pouring out of you in anguish over a desperate desire of your heart? In 1 Samuel 1, the Bible tells us of one woman who felt that kind of deep, searing pain. Hannah desperately wanted a baby, but she couldn’t get pregnant. Year after year she prayed, but she did not conceive. For a time, her prayers went unanswered.
In the depths of her despair, she “prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.” At her wit’s end, she vowed to dedicate the child to God if only she could have a baby. The intensity of her grief and the fervency of her silent prayers were so great that the priest thought she was drunk! But her story does not end in sorrow. The priest told Hannah that God would grant her request, and He did.
It is hard to imagine all the stress and pent-up emotions Hannah endured, but God took care of her. She did become pregnant and went on to dedicate her son, Samuel, to the Lord as she had vowed. And Samuel went on to make history, doing great works for God.
There is one amazing detail about this story that I absolutely love… Hannah went on to bear three more sons and two daughters! Her prayers were not answered immediately, but God honored her faithfulness and showered her with blessings beyond her requests. His plans for her were greater than her own – and the same is true for us.
Your Father knows your needs. Renewal is coming!
“Revival is not just an emotional touch; it’s a complete takeover!” – Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
When we have a desperate desire, we want it fulfilled right away. We want our prayers answered immediately, but sometimes waiting is required. Hannah prayed year after year before finally experiencing the answer to her prayers. Waiting can be difficult, and living with unanswered prayers is stressful… unless we make the choice to surrender and fully trust God to satisfy our longings in His time!
Let’s let 2019 be the year we grow closer to the Lord and become the fearless, strong, and faithful woman we are meant to be in Him! In Be Fearless, Julie Clinton provides a scripturally-sound guide for finding freedom, purpose, joy… and fearlessness. Be Fearless is now available in our store! https://www.aacc.net/product/be-fearless/ Consider working through Be Fearless with another extraordinary woman or group this year!
Julie Clinton, MAd, MBA, is president of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. She is the author of several books including A Woman’s Path to Emotional Freedom, 10 Things You Aren’t Telling Him, and Extraordinary Women. She is passionate about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.