Hannah's Prayers

I was studying Hannah and how she prayed, and I noticed two things. She offered a prayer of supplication, meaning she cried out to God and asked for a son. Then she offered a prayer of thanksgiving. When Hannah went up to the temple with her husband to give an offering, she went off by herself and wept bitterly asking God for a son. I am tempted to use the word begging, but I don’t know if that is disrespectful to say of Hannah. How about desperation? We can find ourselves in places of such utter brokenness that yes, we get desperate. We are taught as children to pray to a God who can do everything, but disappointments in life can cause us to begin to doubt that either He can or will do everything and then our prayers change. I’ve certainly been there. I have prayed and asked God to stop something from happening, and He didn’t stop it. Then the next time I prayed I was more hesitant and less convinced that He would move on my behalf. Over time as I matured I understood why in those times the answer was no, and then I eventually reevaluated how I should come to God. Like Hannah. In brokenness and desperation she not only prayed and asked God for a son, but she promised to give him back to God. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah’s prayer is completely different! It is full of love, light, and exuberance. She went from being tormented by her barrenness to boldly declaring that she would have even more children, and she did. In the most troubling times, retreating within our brokenness and licking our wounds will not get us to the place that God has for us. Cry out to Him and watch what He will do in your life. “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)