Lessons From Hannah's Unexpected Trials
Have you ever wondered why God is often silent while we wait for answers? Waiting isn’t easy, especially when the outcome matters deeply. I remember being diagnosed with early melanoma and waiting to learn whether the cancer had spread felt unbearable. I tried to distract myself by traveling with my three sons to my parents’ home in another state. Still, no matter what I did, I could not escape the weight of uncertainty. I struggled to eat and sleep. I spent long hours walking and talking with the Lord. After several days, I finally received a call from the doctor's office. The nurse told me that the melanoma had spread and that I would be referred to a specialist. My mind froze. I asked no questions, and she offered no further explanation. When I told my husband, he immediately drove to my doctor's office. Concerned that such serious news had been delivered so abruptly, he walked past the receptionist, past the nurses' station, and directly to the Physician for clarification. After reviewing my chart, the doctor discovered a devastating mistake. The nurse had been looking at another patient's record. My melanoma had not spread. The doctor called me immediately, apologized, and explained what had happened. Although my waiting during that season lasted only for a few days, it felt like an eternity. Many people endure waiting for months or even years.
Hannah in the Bible understood difficult waiting. In a culture where having children was closely tied to a woman’s identity, her barrenness brought deep sorrow and shame. For years, she carried disappointment as she watched others receive what she desired. To make matters worse, Peninnah, her husband's other wife, continually mocked her because of her infertility. Hannah's pain was magnified by cruelty.
Every year, Hannah returned from worship carrying the same unanswered prayer and the same heartache. I’m sure she wrestled with many questions. Why hasn’t God answered? Why do others receive what I cannot? Scripture says Hannah wept and couldn’t eat. Her grief became so visible that Eli the priest noticed her distress. As she intensely poured out her heart before God, Eli thought she was drunk. Hannah explained, “I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit.”
Those years of waiting seemed unbearable. Yet, God heard every word that Hannah prayed and saw every tear she cried. He was never absent. While Hannah waited, God was working in ways she could not see because He was writing a much larger story.
In time, God answered her prayer and gave her a son, Samuel. What Hannah could not have known was that her unanswered prayer was part of a greater purpose. Samuel would become a prophet, the last judge of Israel, and a man mightily used by God to call His people back to Himself. The child she longed for arrived in God's perfect timing according to His perfect plan. Sometimes when God delays, He is accomplishing something that we can’t yet understand. Before the waiting, Hannah knew much about God. But through her waiting, she came to know Him more deeply—as the One who hears prayer, comforts sorrow, and faithfully provides. The waiting strengthened her faith and taught her to trust God's timing.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Many people are waiting in difficult places. Some are praying for healing or restoration. Others are seeking direction or provision. Keep trusting Him while waiting for answers. Don't allow disappointment to become bitterness.
God heard Hannah before she ever saw the answer, and He is the same God who still hears and answers His people today. The prayer you have prayed a hundred times hasn’t been forgotten. God is listening, working, and faithful.
PRAYER
Father, help me trust You while I wait. Remind me that You hear every prayer and are always working, even when I cannot see it. Strengthen my faith and help me rest in Your perfect timing. Amen.
Colette Fabry is the founder of A Right Heart Ministries, where she and her staff assist grieving individuals, guiding them to recognize God as the healer of all brokenness. Colette is the owner of Rochester Anger Management, a company dedicated to providing hope and healing for those in need. She holds a Masters degree in counseling and theology, and is nationally certified in conflict resolution as well as grief and loss. For the past 28 years, Colette has successfully taught problem-solving and strategies to overcome everyday obstacles. Colette is wife, mother of three sons, grandmother, a nationally known speaker and author. She enjoys reading, studying, writing and says God’s greatest accomplishment in her life has been raising her sons. She cherishes time spent with her grandchildren.
Are there other women in your life who could benefit from a daily dose of encouragement? Forward this email so they can click on this link to Subscribe to Daily Treasure to be better equipped to walk by faith on the pathway God has marked out for them.
Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.