Hannah's Barrenness & Rivalry (Vol. 1)

1 of 5 Essays Exploring 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Hannah’s story begins with pain. She was deeply loved by her husband, Elkanah, yet could not have children. Meanwhile, Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, had sons and daughters and used that fact to provoke Hannah year after year. The text describes Hannah’s sorrow so vividly—she wept, refused to eat, and was deeply distressed. Yet, through all her hurt, she never turned away from God. Instead, she turned toward Him.

Hannah’s response to her suffering stands out. Instead of fighting back or becoming bitter toward Peninnah, she poured out her emotions in prayer. She didn’t pretend to be strong or hide her pain. She was honest before the Lord, “weeping bitterly” and praying from her heart. Her openness shows that faith does not mean pretending everything is fine—it means trusting God enough to bring Him our deepest pain.

This story also shows that suffering can draw us closer to God when we let it. Year after year, Hannah returned to the house of the Lord, even though that place reminded her of what she didn’t have. It took courage and faith to keep showing up before God when her prayer hadn’t yet been answered.

For people today, Hannah’s example reminds us that we don’t need to have everything together before coming to God. We can come broken, disappointed, and even weeping. Her faith wasn’t perfect—it was persistent. And that persistence led to peace. The text says that after praying, Hannah “went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.” Even before her situation changed, her heart did.

Hannah’s story shows that peace comes not from getting what we want, but from surrendering what hurts to the One who truly listens. Her strength wasn’t in controlling her circumstances, but in her decision to trust God through them.