This is part 1 of a 5-part series. View the entire series here.
Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. And she made this vow: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if You will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to You. He will be Yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut.” – 1 Samuel 1:10-11 NLT
In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, we meet a woman named Hannah. Hannah desperately wanted children, but the Lord had not yet given her any. Her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, did have children. Day after day Hannah had to deal with Peninnah’s taunts about her barrenness.
Hannah is a perfect example of someone who trusted the Lord enough to be honest with Him about what she desperately wanted. Despite how much it probably hurt to hold out hope that she would one day have a child, she still chose to share her longing with the Lord. She was even willing to give up the child, dedicating his life to service of the Lord, if only He would grant her the desire of her heart.
In case no one’s ever told you this, you have permission to share the desires of your heart with your Father. It’s okay to acknowledge your preference for a certain outcome. There is a certain freedom in sitting at His feet and saying, Lord, this is what I want. It may not be Your will, but I just need to say it. We don’t do ourselves any favors by pretending we’re not feeling what we’re feeling or that we don’t want what we really want. God already knows anyway, so we’re not catching Him off guard by sharing with Him what we long for.
When we cry out to God with a sincere heart, the Bible promises that He hears us. Psalm 18:6 says, “But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears” (NLT). Psalm 34:6 says, “In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; He saved me from all my troubles” (NLT).
You can’t know what the future holds, but you can trust the One who holds it. God is a faithful Father who loves you and wants the best for you. He is your firm foundation that will not be shaken, no matter the chaos going on around you. In moments of uncertainty, His arms are a gentle, sure place to land. So run to Him, be honest with Him, and believe that He is your greatest source of strength.
