Heartache. Disappointment. Pressure. Outcast.

Hannah (1 Samuel 1) had all of these things since she was childless in a time when children were everything. To make it worse, she was a second wife where the other wife had children and taunted her daily. While her husband loved her, she was so sad that she could not eat and just wept.

Notice something in verse 6: “⁶ And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.”

God had allowed her distress. He was not unaware. He had a plan.

Notice also what she did with her grief. (vv 9-10)

^“9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”

She went to God in prayer, pouring out her bitterness and distress to Him. She knew that God was the only one that could help. She wept. She was honest with him. She also promises to give the child to God if God blessed her with a child.

She was so upset that the priest thought that she was drunk. (vv. 12-16)

I encourage you to read the entire story, but the priest promises her a son. God delivers. She has a son and names him Samuel. (v 20) “²⁰ Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.”

God answered. Samuel was a great man of God. Hannah’s prayer was heard and answered. There are so many lessons in this short passage. May God help us follow Hannah’s example. Our God hears and answers prayer. He cares!