Hannah’s Prayer: Trusting God Through the Tears (1 Samuel 1:1-28)
Have you ever wanted something so badly it hurt? Maybe you’ve prayed, cried, and waited—wondering if God even hears you. If so, you’re not alone. In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, we meet a woman named Hannah who knew exactly what that felt like.
Hannah’s story is one of pain, prayer, and promise. It shows us that even in our darkest moments, God is still listening—and He cares.
A Heart Full of Pain
Hannah was married to a man named Elkanah. He loved her deeply, but they had a problem—Hannah couldn’t have children. In their culture, this was heartbreaking and often seen as a sign of shame. To make things worse, Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, had many children and constantly made fun of Hannah.
Year after year, Hannah felt crushed. She wept, she stopped eating, and she couldn’t enjoy the family trips to worship God. Even though Elkanah tried to comfort her, nothing could take away her sorrow.
Have you ever felt like that—when nothing anyone says makes the pain go away? Hannah reminds us that even faithful people go through deep hurt.
Pouring Out Her Soul
One day, after another tearful worship trip, Hannah went to the tabernacle to pray. She didn’t shout or speak loudly. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Her prayer was silent, but her heart was crying out to God.
She made a promise: “Lord, if You give me a son, I will give him back to You for his whole life.”
Eli the priest saw her praying and thought she was drunk. But when she explained she was simply pouring out her soul to God, he told her to go in peace—and may God answer her prayer.
Sometimes, other people may not understand our pain. But God always does. And He listens, even to the prayers we whisper through our tears.
God Remembers
After returning home, something beautiful happened: God answered Hannah’s prayer. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, which means “God has heard.”
What a powerful reminder—God heard Hannah. And He hears us, too.
God may not always answer right away, or in the way we expect, but He is never deaf to our cries. He is kind, patient, and full of love.
A Promise Kept
Hannah had made a vow, and she meant it. After Samuel was old enough, she brought him to the tabernacle and gave him to the Lord, just as she had promised. She said, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.”
She left Samuel there to serve the Lord. It must have been a hard goodbye—but also a joyful one. She trusted God enough to give back the very gift she had longed for.
This part of the story reminds us that when we give something to God, He can use it in amazing ways.
What Can We Learn from Hannah?
Hannah’s story teaches us a lot about prayer, faith, and trust:
- It’s okay to be honest with God. He welcomes our pain, our tears, and our questions.
- God hears even the quietest prayers. No matter how broken we feel, He is near.
- Trusting God means letting go sometimes. Hannah gave back what she prayed so hard to receive—and God used Samuel in powerful ways.
Final Thoughts
Hannah started out in deep sorrow, but she ended up full of peace and joy. Her story encourages us to keep praying, even when things feel hopeless. God sees your heart. He hasn’t forgotten you. Like Hannah, you can bring your burden to Him—and trust that He will work in His perfect time.
Something to think about:
What is one thing you’re holding tightly right now that you could place in God’s hands?
1 Samuel 1:1-28 (WEB)
1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7 So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple. 10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 11 She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD. 16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.19 They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.20 When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22 But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.”So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young. 25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him. 28 Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.