Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

Life is all about ups and downs. At one point of time you might find yourself on top of a mountain and the next moment, you might find yourself walking in the valley. It is never easy, but as much as the mountains are needed in our lives, the valleys are important too because the valuable lessons that we learn in the valleys, is for a lifetime and it helps mould our character and make us into the person whom we are meant to be. So what to do when we find ourselves in such a valley? I looked up two characters from the Bible who walked through valleys and what they did. They are in the Book of Samuel – Hannah at Shiloh and David at Ziklag.

Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah … Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. – 1 Samuel 1:7

I am able to relate with Hannah a lot. Especially wherein she is unable to eat because she is upset. [It would be evident to those who have seen me or known me personally!] People react differently when they are upset – not able to eat or over eating, lack of sleep, anxiety, feeling of depression and hopelessness, thinking of all the things that has happened, wondering what went wrong, what could have been done to avoid this valley etc.

Cry out to the LORD

Hannah got up and went to pray… Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. – 1 Samuel 1:9,10. When the priest in the temple misunderstood her, Hannah quickly told him “But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord… For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” (verse 15)

She went to the temple of God and poured out her heart to the Lord. She told Him of all her sorrows, shed all the tears that she had been holding up, laid her soul open in God’s presence. Sometimes it is good to cry, I don’t see tears as a sign of weakness but as a sign of emotion. David and his men wept and wept till they could weep no more (1 Samuel 30: 3) when they saw that their wives and children were captured as prisoners, and all their livestock were taken away when then enemies raided their towns. All these men were warriors but they wept.

Choose to be better and not bitter

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

The 600 men were loyal to David but at their lowest, they decided to blame him and even thought of stoning him! Killing him in no way would ease their pain or bring back their families, but they were blind because of the bitterness in their hearts. But David did not give in to bitter feelings, instead he found his strength in the Lord. He was also in the same valley but his response was different. May God give us the heart to choose him over anything and everything else, especially in the valley when all around us is crashing down. He is our Hope and he will never fail us.

Ask God and act on it

1 Samuel 1: 17 and 18 Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Notice that she was no longer sad and began to eat again, in short she overcame the grief with God’s help. Remember she went back to the same place in the valley. but this time the difference was that she went back with a promise. She was able to endure everything because she knew God would act upon her request, that this valley is not the end and that things would change for the better.

Same was the case with David. When he asked God if he should pursue his enemies, God said “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!” (1 Samuel 30:8) So David marched on with God’s promise of recovery. The same applies for us as well, we are strengthened by his word, by His promises that speak right into our situation and emboldens us and helps us face the battles that we go through. God in His sovereignty, has allowed it for a reason, do not loose heart. Hold on to His promises, take heart and wait for Him to act on your behalf, to turn things around. This valleys is not forever.

Share without being selfish

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken… Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. – 1 Samuel 30:18,19.

David recovered all! Just as God promised. And Hannah received what she asked for as well: in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.” (1 Samuel 1: 20) Hannah made a vow that if God gives her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. And she fulfilled that vow, even though he was her first born and the son born to her after so many years.

David shared the spoils with those who didn’t want to follow him to the battle. He was generous and not selfish. He also sent gifts to the elders of different towns. So when God blesses us by moving us out of the valley, may we remember to share his blessings with others.