1 Samuel chapter 1 verses 17-18 (NIV)
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes. ” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
Hannah had been childless for a long time and her rival, her husband’s other wife, took pleasure in taunting her, which added to her distress. We don’t read of any other of Hannah’s prayers except the one in Shiloh. It seemed that this time, Peninnah, the other wife, had pushed her to the edge of despair. Hannah did the right thing. She took the matter to God. At this point in these verses God had not yet answered her prayer, yet we read she was no longer downcast. I think her attitude had changed. She left the matter in God’s hands and didn’t take her troubles back with her. Perhaps she had allowed the taunting to get to her and couldn’t get this out of her head. But as a consequence of dwelling on what was said, it made things even more difficult for her, at least until she had reached the end of her tether.
Sometimes we replay things in our mind. It may be something that’s upset us, or it might be thinking of our own actions and wishing we had done things differently. That doesn’t do us any good. We must learn what Hannah learned. Commit these things to God and leave them with Him. If we do that we too will find that our faces are no longer downcast.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminder that I can bring my troubles to You and leave them there. By doing that You lift up my head and I can focus on the things of God rather than my problems. I am grateful for the peace that brings, even if the circumstances don’t immediately change. Amen.