Lessons from the life of Hannah

#1. Even in the midst of adversity, Hannah remained faithful to God.
Hannah had to deal with a polygamous husband, a lack of children, and mockery from the other wife, but Hannah never lost her focus on the God who cared for her.

One Sunday, I received an email from a person. The email was as follows:

"My mother had cancer, and so we trusted the Lord for her healing. We prayed and prayed over a year, trusting the Lord to heal her. However, the Lord took her. She passed away. We cremated her yesterday. When we came to church today, someone asked us, "What are you doing here in church as you have lost your mother."

We did not know what to reply. But at that time, these words came out of my mouth. "Is not this place where I should be - the house of God?"

Anyone can shout praises to God when things are going well. However, when the chips are down, it requires faith to keep on trusting, keep on attending the LIVE services, house of God.

Tribulation tests our faith "These [trials] have come so that your faith which is of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).

#2.Take your Problems to the Lord
Maybe suicidal thoughts are running through your mind. What do you do when you have wept and cannot weep anymore? This is when the Lord wants us to lay everything at His feet, including our pain.

"Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)

#3.Hannah gave back to the Lord that which she had received from the Lord.
Hannah received a son from the Lord, and when he was about 6 to 7 years she took him back to Shiloh, the house of God and left him there to serve the Lord. How painful it must have been to do that. How little Samuel must have cried?

Are you ready to give back what you receive? This is why probably why many don't receive in the first place - we set our hearts on it. Whatever we have today, we have all received from the Lord. So then, why is it so painful to give to God what He gave us in the first place? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

After Hannah gave back her son to the Lord, the Lord blessed her with more. Follow Hannah's lead by giving it all back for His use and glory. You are called to be a channel. Let forgiveness flow through you, peace flow through you, money flow through you.

God further blesses Hannah with three more sons and two daughters. He is the God of more than enough. He is the God of the overflow. (Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 23:5)

Abraham demonstrates the same scenario. He waited all his life for Isaac, only to be asked to give back to God as a sacrifice! He didn't sacrifice his promised son because God provides for Himself. Abraham and Hannah's stories display how faith works.

Father God, in the name of Jesus Your Son, make me a channel of Your blessings. Remove this covetousness from me.