Have you ever felt trapped in an impossible situation, like everyone was working against you? Hannah certainly did. Yes, her husband loved her very much, but Elkanah needed to have some children to help him work his farm and tend his animals, and if Hannah couldn’t bear those children, well, he had no choice but to turn to another wife. Sure, that hurt Hannah deeply, but what else could Elkanah do if they didn’t want to starve?

And then there was Peninnah, the other wife. It was obvious that Elkanah loved Hannah the most, as he gave her a double portion when their religious festivals rolled around (v. 5). So, we shouldn’t be surprised when Peninnah took out her jealous frustration on Hannah, continually taunting her for her childlessness. Hannah had to live under the same roof with this bitter rival, enduring her insults day by day.

But worst of all, Hannah received no immediate comfort from her faith. She was faithful to the Lord, going with her husband to the Biblically prescribed festivals. But instead of rejoicing in God’s presence, she wept precisely because she believed in God’s power. Deep down, she knew that Peninnah was right: God could have given her children if He had wanted to.

Maybe you can sympathize with Hannah. Maybe you feel like there’s nothing anyone can do about your problems, and that God isn’t listening to your prayers. If so, there’s one important thing we can learn from Hannah, even before we look at the rest of the chapter – she never stopped worshipping God. Instead of giving in to disappointment or becoming bitter, she never stopped praying to God, even if those prayers were offered through clenched teeth and with many tears.

And that’s where our faith leads us at times. Oh, sometimes God gives us sudden answers to our problems, but sometimes He waits. And during this time of waiting, our faith and trust in Him has a chance to grow, as we draw close to Him in prayer and as we trust not only His perfect will but His perfect timing. So, no matter what happens, let’s wait on Him today.

I Samuel 1:1-8 (ESV)

There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.
2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD.
4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.
6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.
7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.
8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”