The Bible Story of Hannah and Samuel Shows Us How to Wait on God with Prayer and Praise

Scripture

“In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’”—1 Samuel 1:10-11 (NIV)

Are you in a waiting season? Are you waiting on God to answer a prayer or fulfill a promise? It is tempting to give up hope or try to take things into our own hands, but we must trust that God's timing is always perfect. We can focus on our relationship with the Giver, as we wait on Him to fulfill His promises. Let's look at the story of Hannah and Samual in the Bible.

This year has been marked with several closed doors that I earnestly and prayerfully wished would open. With each rejection, doubt and insecurity have run rampant. I’ve questioned myself and God many times in this season. 

Did I hear you right, Lord? I thought you placed this desire in my heart. Why would you keep it from me?

I’ve tried to summon patience and perseverance in this wait. But it hurts, and I sometimes wonder, what’s the point?

Being passed over or rejected is painful. Watching others get what we want most provokes the pit in our stomachs. If we aren’t careful while waiting, we risk losing faith that God will fulfill our deepest desires. Repeatedly being overlooked can kill the dreamers in us. Praying for the same thing with each sideline can seem redundant and useless. 

We can lose the eager expectation that God will be faithful to fulfill this dream of ours. Sometimes we resolve just to let it go and move on, even when we are sure our desires align with God’s plans for us. 

That’s the point I came to recently, and I felt God impress a question upon my heart. 

Do you desire Me more than the fulfillment of this dream?

Immediately, the Biblical account of Hannah and Samuel came to mind. 

Could I be like Hannah? Could I want something so desperately that I am willing to return it to God? 

Hannah wanted a son. She waited years on the sidelines, watching as the other wife, Peninnah, had sons and daughters. In Biblical times, a woman’s worth was tied to her ability to conceive and rear children, which was seen as God’s blessing. Although Hannah was dearly loved by her husband, she endured harassment from his other wife to the point of utter despair. That is when the story picks up in the Lord’s house, where she pours out her soul to God i, as recorded in First Samuel 1:10-11 (MSG). 

Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, if you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain, if you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. 

The Characters in the Bible Don't Make Waiting on God Look Easier than it Is

Hannah doesn’t hide her pain and desperation from the Lord; she surrenders it to Him. Then she says something so foreign and inconceivable to me. She willingly dedicates her future son to the Lord’s service, which means that after he is weaned, typically between two and five years old, she will only be able to visit her son, Samuel, at the tabernacle annually. 

As a mom of two young boys, I can barely fathom this, but Hannah kept her vow. Then she sings a poetic prayer recorded in First Samuel 2, a song of praise to the Lord, because she loves the Giver more than the gift.  Hannah desired God more than the fulfillment of her desire for a child. 

Oh, to have a heart like Hannah’s!

Sister, I see you pushing through discouragement in the wait. I know you have beautiful, Godly desires in your heart. While God may not move according to our timeline or in our preferred way, He loves giving perfect gifts in His perfect timing. He will fulfill your dreams so that you and others know only God could have done it. 

In the meantime, let’s live a life devoted to the Giver, surrendering our plans and dreams into His perfect and capable hands. Give all the glory to God!

Questions for Reflection

1. Look at other stories of characters in the Bible waiting on God to fulfill promises. What did they do right and wrong in the wait?

2. How can you shift your focus from the promise or dream and more on your relationship with Christ?

   
   

Let's Pray

Dear God, I praise You because You are always good, even when things don’t go as planned or desired. I know Your plans and Your ways are always better. Give me patience, endurance, and perseverance in the wait as I surrender my dreams and desires to Your will, Lord. I love you. Amen.  

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Originally published on iBelieve