And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. 1 Samuel 1:6
Hannah didn’t have it easy in her home, despite having the support of a loving husband. She was living in a society in which men could have multiple wives, and the situation in Elkanah’s house proves the folly of such a system. Childless Hannah was mocked by Elkanah’s other wife Peninnah, who did have children. Bearing children was considered a sign of God’s favour on a woman. And Peninnah took every opportunity to rub salt in Hannah’s wound of childless disappointment. It would be hard to imagine the poisoned atmosphere in that home with two women of such diverse characters having to live under a solitary roof. But even in her misery, Hannah displays a lovely character that we not only admire but also seek to copy.
Nowhere in all of the account leading up to Samuel’s birth do we read of Hannah showing any envy or retaliation against Peninnah. Hannah could tell by Peninnah’s nasty attitude that the other woman was not worthy of any envy. Peninnah’s provoking could make her fret, but it didn’t make her hate or spiteful. Rather than stooping to Peninnah’s level, Hannah sorrowed over her own disappointment quietly and gently. Just like Hannah, we need to learn that envy and retaliation will never get us anywhere. Just like Hannah, we can prevent ourselves from stooping to the level of the nasty people who try to mock our faith or oppose the cross of Christ. Things worked out wonderfully for Hannah, although it took some time for it to happen. And things will turn out wonderfully for us, in God’s own time.
In her disappointment, Hannah also never felt any bitterness against the Lord for closing her womb. She continued to hope for blessing, hoping that her closed womb was not God’s denial of blessing but His delay in blessing. In her hope, she remained confident in the goodness of her God. In her disappointment, she remained true in her faithfulness in Him. The God who closed her womb was still her God. Are we ever disappointed in something that we had hoped of the Lord? What is our attitude when the petition remains unanswered or the situation remains unresolved? We all know of Christians who have given up at times like that. Does it need to be us, too?
Nobody ever loses by not resorting to bitterness against anyone, including God. And nobody ever wins by giving up on God and His never failing promise to give us His very best. – Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/6La9fMGRrIA