HEARTFELT PRAYERS (2)

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and PRAYED to the LORD and wept in anguish” – 1 Samuel 1:10

The Bible records many examples of HEARTFELT PRAYERS including the Prayer of Hannah: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish” (1 Sam. 1:10). Hannah, who became the mother of Samuel the prophet, prayed from her heart and contacted the Heart of God! Her story is one of the most well-known stories of faith-filled women in the Bible. Her longing for a child, and dark season of waiting, has inspired countless couples. Barreness brings deep shame upon families. Children are counted as God’s blessing; hence to encounter infertility is a difficult burden for couples to bear. That was Hannah’s plight!

Hannah was distressed by the fact that she had been unable to have a child and by the severe provocation coming from her rival. She had reached her wits end and a concrete wall in destiny. Hers must be a prayer from the heart. Because of mental anguish, her lips moved as in a whispered prayer, but Eli the priest thought she was drunk and rebuked her: “So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you” (v.14). Hannah who knew what was in her heart, responded: “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of he abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now” (vv.15-16).

Whereas Eli initially misunderstood the display of heartfelt prayer, he quickly reconnected and declared: “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (v.17). God heard Hannah’s inaudible supplication and granted her request: “So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD” (v.20). God never makes a mistake. He never forgets to work on our behalf. And He never ignores our deepest prayers and longings, but His ways are much higher than ours, and His timing is unique. Hannah’s encounter and her faith expressed in heartfelt prayers can help strengthen ours and can be summarised as follows:

Hannah knew where to take her problems – straight to God in prayer: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD…” (v.10).

Hannah trusted God’s power and ability to work on her behalf even in her brokenness and pain: “Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life…” (v.11).

Hannah believed God would do what He said He would do: “And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad” (v.18).

Hannah was faithful and strong to uphold her end of the prayer – fulfilling her vow – as a commitment to God’s plan and Sovereignty (vv.24-28).

Though sometimes it’s hard to see and understand what God is doing and why the answer to our deepest longings take so long, we can be confident, He hears our prayers and He’s at work. God simply asks us to trust Him, just as Hannah did. He invites us to come to Him with our heart-cries, pain, longings, and brokenness. God will never turn us away or have a deaf ear to our cries. He is fully trust-worthy, fully loving, and fully kind.

Although Hannah’s prayer was heartfelt and persistent, we don’t always have to be in anguish or threatened in life in order to pray to God from the depth of our hearts. Whether in anguish, joy, or thanksgiving, every one of our prayers should be from our hearts. We must pray heartfelt prayers every time we pray and enjoy divine blessedness.