Hannah is one of my favorite women in the Bible.   We have something in common.  Both Hannah and I begged the Lord for children.  My husband and I went 21 years without children before we adopted our 3 little boys!!   I understand Hannah’s heart…the countless tears that no one sees and the cries that no one hears.

I Samuel 1 tells us the story of Hannah.  She was one of the wives of Elkanah.  The other wife, Peninnah, had children.  

The Bible tells us in I Samuel 1:6 that her adversary provoked her sore.  That was probably Peninnah. One particular time this happened at a meal.  Hannah got up from the table and went to the temple and poured her heart out to God.

Notice how Hannah reacted to the ridicule and probably belittling of the other woman.   Hannah did not lash out to her, although I’m sure she probably wanted to.  She didn’t pray to God and ask Him to heap coals of fire upon her head.  (I know exactly how she felt….and I wouldn’t have blamed her..lol.)  Instead of reacting to how she was being treated, Hannah ran to God.  Hannah was full of grace.   

We have all been in situations where people have been not been nice and we have been mistreated or treated unfairly.  Let’s face it, some people are just not nice!!    What I learned a long time ago is that I cannot control how people treat me; however, I CAN control my response to those people.  Now, sadly to say I have not always been 100 % successful with this thinking, but it is my constant goal to treat people with grace.  Most of the time when people are unkind to us it’s because they themselves are struggling with something.   I know….they have no right to treat people unkindly no matter what they are going thru in their life, but we only answer to God for OUR actions, not the actions of others!    I know there have been times that I have reacted incorrectly to someone because of the hurt that they instilled upon me but if I could go back and change it I definitely would.    I don’t want to be the person who causes the person who is being unkind to struggle more.  I want to be the one who responds with grace.

Running to our friends and telling them how we have been hurt doesn’t do any good.   Hannah knew that her strength came from the Lord.  When hurtful things were being said to her she ran straight to the Lord.   I strive to remember to do the same!!

God granted Hannah her request and gave her Samuel.    God also gave her 5 more children after Samuel!!    It always pays to do what’s right….no matter what is being done to you.

In a world full of Peninnah’s, be a Hannah – Full of Grace!