“Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

How many years did Hannah suffer with a closed womb and a merciless sister-wife? It seemed the whole situation escalated at Tabernacle time: Peninnah poked her finger into Hannah’s open wound over and over again, year after year.

“Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

What’s amazing is that Hannah kept going to Shiloh! She could have refused. She could have feigned injury or illness. She could have told her husband “This is just too hard for me” and he may have excused her from the entire ordeal. But she didn’t. She endured. She stayed by her husband’s side and kept doing the things that godly women do. Not only that, but she pressed in. When other folks were relaxing and chatting after dinner, she was in the tabernacle prayer room. She kept seeking God, even from the depths of her despair.

“I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord… For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Hannah took her hopelessness to the Lord. She didn’t try to hide it and she didn’t hide from Him. She prayed earnestly and honestly. She made a heartfelt promise in the dark that she would remain faithful to in the light. And then she set the whole matter in the capable hands of God.

And God heard her prayer.

“The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”” (1 Samuel‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Hannah kept worshiping in the in between; in that sometimes long space between promise and producing, she gave God glory.

Lord, we all have unmet requests. May they not push us from You, but propel us toward You. Give us earnest, honest hearts that seek You out in our darkest situations and in our brightest moments. May we worship You always, in anguish or in joy. Amen.