Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

This is the first installment in my series of posts, “People of Prayer”.

Hannah—one of the spiritual greats, mentioned by every “women of the Bible” devotional, modeled by others, respected for her faith…it’s interesting to me that we know so little of this woman’s complete history, yet she has become such a well-known figure in Christendom. As I dove deep into her story, I saw a lot of amazing qualities in the mosaic of Hannah’s life.

More than anything, Hannah wanted a child. So she went to the temple and prayed, weeping, that God would grant her a son, promising to give him to the Lord. She was so distressed that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk as she silently prayed (a sign that silent prayer was not a common practice up to that point). He reproves her, but she explains herself, saying “‘I have poured out my soul before the Lord’” (1 Samuel 1:15). I love this sincere, broken response. Sometimes, that’s exactly what prayer is. When you are so empty you feel you have nothing left to give Him, you can always still pour our your soul before Him. And really, that’s what He wanted all along.

Later in verses 17-18, we read: “Then Eli answered and said, ‘Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.’ 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.” Had Hannah already become pregnant? No. Had she ceased to desire a child? Nope. But had God specifically promised her request would be granted? Also no. Yet we still know that when she left, she wasn’t sad any more. This is what struck me the most about Hannah’s story. Throughout the Bible, we often see people rejoicing in the fulfillment of God’s promises to them—but this time, it’s different. Hannah is put at peace before she even knows what God’s answer to her prayer will be.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It doesn’t say that God will grant every request, but that His peace will come because we make our requests known to Him. How can this be? How can we be unburdened if He hasn’t lifted our burdens? One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 54:10, which says, “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the Lord who has compassion on you.” The Lord’s character will never change, even if He chooses not to put the mountains back or steady the hills.

If God simply granted our requests with a distant, impersonal power, we would never truly be satisfied by them. We were created to truly know our Creator. That’s why He doesn’t always do what we ask immediately, if at all. He is teaching us to seek the Giver more than the gift, the Healer more than the healing. David writes in Psalm 51:8, “Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.” This might sound harsh, but it illustrates that the seasons of pain, of waiting, even of resignation, are meant for our good and His glory.

Your Father wants you to cast your anxiety upon Him. Prayer allows us to release the weight of the troubles in our life, leaving them behind at His feet. This is why we can arise from our knees with a smile, even if, like Hannah, we have wet the ground with our tears. But because of the broken world and our fallen nature, this smile may quickly fade. That’s why we must return so often to our Lord, to be emptied and renewed once again. As we do so, we cultivate a spirit that is steadfast, even while the storms of our life rage all around.

Theologian Tim Keller once said, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 am for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.” Hannah did not let fear that her request was unworthy keep her from pouring out her spirit. She wasn’t afraid to fall apart in the presence of the Lord, knowing He could pick up the pieces and put them back together. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This verse never ceases to amaze me—the thought that I could ever have confidence at the feet of the Most High God is so beautiful and strange that I can’t fully comprehend it. We have this confidence only through the work of Christ our Mediator. But we also have confidence because we trust in the character of our God, and not just in His power. We trust not only that He is able to do what we ask, but that if He doesn’t, He is still good.

If my thoughts have seemed a little disconnected in this one, it’s because God has been showing me so much I needed to hear, even as I write. To my brother or sister in Christ who may be reading this: quit trying to carry your burdens alone. You have a Great Shepherd who is more than able to take them from you. Have faith, not just in His provision, but in His character. Rejoice in the peace of Christ, even as you wait for the answer to come.