How Hannah's Prayer Can Teach Us to Pray
- Emmanuel Abimbola Contributing Writer
- Updated Oct 23, 2024
At one point in our lives, most of us have found ourselves in a season of waiting so long that our prayers felt like they were bouncing off the ceiling. Perhaps you've been holding onto a dream so tightly that your knuckles have turned white, wondering if God has somehow misplaced your address in heaven's postal system. Everybody has been there, standing at the intersection of heartbreak and hope, feeling as though their faith is weak.
Whether it's a dream of starting a family, launching a ministry, finding your life partner, or stepping into your God-given purpose, the wait can feel like an eternity. Sometimes, it seems like everyone else is receiving their miracle while you're still hitting refresh on heaven's inbox.
You might begin to think that God has abandoned you, or maybe you are under a spiritual attack of some sort. But what if I told you that your season of waiting isn't a waiting room—it's a workout room? What if this very moment of seeming silence is the soil where God is germinating something extraordinary?
If you are going through this difficult phase of waiting in life, despite your incessant prayers, fasting, and vigils, I need you to know today that God's delays are not His denials.
Hannah: A Woman of Persistent Faith
In 1 Samuel 1, we meet a woman whose heart beat with a dream that seemed perpetually out of reach. Year after year, she watched as her husband's other wife, Peninnah, paraded her children around like living trophies. Meanwhile, Hannah's arms remained emptier than a church parking lot on a Monday morning.
Because she lived in a society where a woman's value was often based on how many children she had, Hannah bore a heavy burden of being barren. The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 1:6 that "her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret." Can you imagine the sting of those sideways glances, the whispered comments, the well-meaning but painful questions about when she'd finally have a baby?
Despite the yearly reminder of her unfulfilled longing as they traveled to Shiloh for worship, Hannah kept showing up before God. She didn't just carry her dream; she carried it to the only One who could breathe life into it.
The Power of Persistent Prayer
When we peek into that sacred moment of prayer at Shiloh, we find Hannah in a posture that would change her destiny—and perhaps yours too. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 1:10, "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore." This wasn't your typical "bless this food" kind of prayer; this was a soul-wrenching, tear-soaked conversation with God that was so passionate, so raw, that Eli the priest mistook her for being drunk! Eli was the high priest of Israel at the time. When Hannah initially prayed for a child in the temple, Eli saw her praying silently and thought she was drunk because her lips moved, but no sound came out. After she explained her distress, Eli blessed her and said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Samuel 1:17).
But here's the beautiful thing about Hannah's prayer—it wasn't just emotional; it was expectant. She didn't just pour out her heart; she positioned herself for a miracle. Her prayer was as specific as a surgeon's scalpel and as bold as a lion's roar. She didn't just ask for a child; she negotiated with the God of the universe, vowing in 1 Samuel 1:11, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life."
We find Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. She begins with praise and joy, acknowledges God's holiness and sovereignty and declares her strength and worth. She is free from shame and tells of God's goodness and steadfastness.
"My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high." (Verse 1) - Hannah begins her prayer by expressing deep joy and gratitude. Her heart is overflowing with praise because God has heard her cries and answered her prayer for a child. The phrase “my horn is lifted high” symbolizes renewed strength and honor.
"There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." (Verse 2) Here, Hannah acknowledges God’s uniqueness and holiness. She declares that no one compares to God, emphasizing His steadfastness and reliability. Referring to God as a “Rock” portrays Him as a secure foundation and a source of stability.
"The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength." (Verses 3-5) Hannah reflects on how God overturns human pride and expectations. The mighty are brought low, and the weak are lifted up. This section highlights God’s ability to reverse circumstances, reminding us that He is in control, not human strength or achievement.
"The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up." (Verses 6-7) Hannah acknowledges that God has power over life, death, and every aspect of human existence. She recognizes that everything—whether wealth or poverty, life or death—ultimately comes under God’s sovereign control.
"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor." (Verses 8-9) This section emphasizes God’s compassion for the humble and marginalized. God not only provides for the needy but exalts them, placing them in positions of honor. This points to the theme of God’s justice and care for the oppressed.
"It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be shattered." (Verse 10) Hannah concludes with a prophetic declaration of God’s ultimate victory over His enemies. She points to a future time when God will judge the earth and exalt His anointed king. This is a subtle reference to God’s future Messiah, a ruler who will embody God’s justice and reign over all.
Hannah's Vow - The Heart of Surrender
In the same breath that Hannah asked for a son, she made a vow and promised to give her son back to God. It's as if she was saying, "Lord, I want this dream so badly that I'm willing to hold it with open hands."
This is where a lot of us have difficulties. We pray for our dreams, but we want to control the outcome, the timing, and the fine print. Yet the Bible reminds us in Proverbs 16:3 to, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." Hannah understood that true surrender isn't about giving up; it's about giving over. She realized that any dream worth having is worth dedicating to God's greater purpose.
Cooking is not just throwing ingredients into a bowl and hoping for the best. You follow a recipe, trusting the chef who created it. Similarly, when we surrender our dreams to God, we're not abandoning them; we're following the ultimate Life Chef's recipe for success.
Birthing the Dream: God's Perfect Timing
The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 1:19, "the LORD remembered her.”
God's timing is like a master watchmaker's precision—not a second too early or a moment too late. God gave Hannah a son and she named him Samuel, meaning "God has heard". In 1 Samuel 1:20, after she had endured years of barrenness and heartache, the text says, "She named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I asked the Lord for him.'" His name serves as a lasting reminder of God's faithfulness and that He hears the prayers of His people, even in their most desperate moments.
When Samuel was finally born, he wasn't just Hannah's son; he was God's appointed prophet for a crucial time in Israel's history. If God had heard Hannah's prayer sooner, Samuel would never have had the opportunity to appoint David and Saul as kings of Israel.
As the prophet Isaiah reminds us in Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." God's delays are not His denials; they're His alignments.
Trusting God with the Outcome
When the time came, Hannah didn't just partially fulfill her vow—she went all in. "'For this child, I prayed,' she declared, 'and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the LORD'" (1 Samuel 1:27-28).
This is where the rubber meets the road in our journey of faith. Are we willing to trust God not just with the birth of our dreams but with their ultimate purpose? When Samuel was born, Hannah honored her vow by bringing Samuel to Eli so that her son could serve the Lord under his guidance. Hannah's willingness to give Samuel back to God multiplied her blessing beyond measure. Not only did she receive more children later, but her son became a pivotal figure in Israel's history.
The Apostle Paul would later write in Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." When we trust God with the outcome, He often surprises us with blessings that exceed our original request.
How to Pray Like Hannah
So, how do we take Hannah's example and apply it to our own lives? Let me give you some practical steps that are as applicable today as they were in Hannah's time:
1. Pray Specifically: Notice how Hannah didn't just pray for "a child"—she prayed for a son. The Bible encourages us to "let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). Don't be afraid to be specific in your prayers.
2. Pray Persistently: Hannah prayed year after year. Jesus taught us about persistence in prayer through the parable of the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). Keep knocking on heaven's door!
3. Pray with Passion: Hannah's prayer was so fervent that Eli thought she was drunk. When we pray with emotion, God is moved, not offended. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
4. Pray with surrender: Like Hannah, be willing to dedicate your dream to God's purposes (Mark 8:35).
Your dreams matter to God. Whether you're amid a long wait, feeling the sting of delayed hopes, or standing at the threshold of giving up, remember that Hannah's God is your God too.
Just as He heard Hannah's cry in the temple at Shiloh, He hears your prayers today. Your tears are fertilizing the ground for your eventual miracle, so they are not in vain. Your persistent faith is not unnoticed; it's moving the hand of God in ways you cannot yet see.
So keep praying, keep believing, and keep surrendering. Your Samuel—whatever that represents in your life—is on the way. And when it arrives, it will be worth every moment of the wait, perfectly timed to fulfill not just your dream but God's greater purpose for your life and His kingdom.
As the psalmist David wrote in Psalm 30:5, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Your morning is coming, beloved. Keep the faith.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Krisanapong Detraphiphat
