Does God Really Want to Give Us The Desire of Our Hearts

The Context: 
1 Samuel 1:1-28 Studying Laura's Bible Study

The facts in verse 2 are given: 

                Two wives, Peni’ had children but Hannah did not. 

                Hannah was considered a failure, a social embarrassment, he could divorce her but Elkanah remained devoted.... along with the other women.

Hannah's Emotions
1:7 She would be reduced to tears...Hannah was insecure, discouraged, and her self-confidence –zero.

Going to Men for Security

You see the husband speak to her. I have to laugh at her husband’s response, men undoubtedly are problem solvers. I know sometimes I go to my husband discouraged and crying, he offers me a solution or a logical way of thinking about the situation.  “Aren’t I better than 10 sons?”. I don’t think husbands are insensitive; they are just built to analyze, give answers, “fix” situations. As women we our mind, body, soul are connected and Hannah’s entire system reacts when she is hurt. 

Did she give her blame to her husband, retaliate to Peni’ or her husband, did she act like a victim? NO!

Taking it up with someone else wasn’t going to make her feel any better. She knew he loved her but what she needed was to take those wounds and hurts to the only One in control to God. 

Wanting Good Things

I think of those times where I feel helpless and what I want is a good thing like Hannah wanting children. God’s timing is not mine. We must remain steadfast to go to the only One who can comfort.  Hannah’s problem ran deeper then needing encouragement from her husband. It’s about her significance in life, her purpose; her struggling with what was God’s plan.

Her Reaction and Actions

1:9 Hannah’s reaction...SHE PRAYS!

We must choose to take it all to God. There is a daily battle with being a wife, a woman, a friend, a leader...to let our fears, anxieties, our lies we believe about God and ourselves to win. We must go to God the only one with Truth and real peace.

Isaiah 57:15, 18, 19, 20 We have a choice to be like the restless sea or to have peace and be healed.

Laura's Challenge:

Spend sometime writing out a prayer asking God to speak to you, as we see how Hannah took her whole heart to the Lord, she was honest about who she really was, believing and acting on what was true about God. She didn't hold back. So don't hold back go to God with it all and see what He does....it will be more than you could imagine.

Beholding Him Becoming Missional

Beholding Him Becoming Missional: Awakening to the mission through the study of 1 Samuel by Laura Krokos

I got this study in the mail and I am way excited to see what God will teach me about Himself through this study. It’s a 12 Week Bible Study and I will be blogging about my journey along the way.

The Official Website if you want to check it out:

http://www.beholdinghimbecomingmissional.com/

And this is Laura’s personal blog:

http://www.beholdingglory.com/

Laura is an amazing leader of God and has such a beautiful family and ministry. I had the great privilege of being discipled by her in college when I was genuinely giving God my life and my heart for the first time. She pushed me to embark on the greatest adventure of my life to know God and glorify Him. You can read about her incredible story and wisdoms in her blog and in this study. She is one of those special people God brought into my life who I will always look up to and admire. The verse that shows Laura’s heart and hope for her readers:

Daniel 11:32 “Those who know their God will display strength and take action”

The Day of the Battle

Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is made ready for the day of the battle but victory rests with the Lord.”

A soldier with an untrained malnourished horse won’t be much good to his troop. The victory though attributed to God would be unlikely if all the soldiers neglected their steeds.  The point of the verse that stood out to me is not no matter what the soldier does or doesn’t do victory is inevitable but rather the soldier does all he can to prepare, recognizing the limits of themselves, the limits of their responsibility, and give credit where it is rightfully due.  The victory if it happens is the Lord’s and so it is with me and with you.  We have to shift our thinking from worries, taking control, pointing the blame, to “I must do all I can to prepare then I can trust God for the rest.” With that mind set we have peace because we know that we’ve been faithful to do our part.

Think of areas you have been neglecting. I know for me sometimes it has been the obvious areas my eating habits, my thoughts, my procrastination, my checkbook, and my prayer life.  Think of practical ways to be a consistent with your role as a steward. I know in order to be a good steward of my mind I have had to let go of assumptions in my life, finding comfort in things or people besides God, and even my attitudes about other people.  The thing is God doesn’t want us to be perfect but he wants us to trust Him. If you do He will do more than you can ever imagine.

Psalm 18:31-36

“For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. You right hand supports me; your help had made me great.  You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.”

God doesn’t promise to eliminate challenges; instead he promises to give us strength to meet those challenges. If he gave us no rough times, no pain, no battles to fight, we would not grow or realize our dependence on Him. He doesn’t leave us in those battles, instead He stands right beside us, teaching us, guiding us, and strengthen us to face it.