Being judged unfairly

I Samuel 1:7-2:6

The first book of Samuel opens with the cry of a Godly woman. While the people cried out for a king, Hannah cries out for a child. God builds the throne on a women's cry. When women take their exalted place, God builds a throne.

I Samuel 7-11

The expression "She was in bitterness of soul," because we are praying for our children that we don't have in the spiritual realm because of sin and the world? Hang in there. She promised God two things if He would grant her request: 1. He would be a priest in the Levitical service all the days of His life, 2. She would make him a Nazarite unto God, he would be separated for God's service.

God was moving ahead in His plans. it was at His timing that Hannah have a child. We all struggle with God's timing in answering our prayers, but by staying steadfast in faith and supporting one another, God brings His timing to fulfillment.

Hannah knew that her husband loved her, but she was taking a lot of harassment from her husband's second wife. We can't keep others from unjustly criticizing us, but we can choose how we will react to their hurtful words. Rather than dwelling on our problems, we can choose to enjoy the loving relationships that God has given us and exchange pity for hope. So instead of retaliating, Hannah prayed and brought the problem honestly before God.

We all face times of barrenness when nothing "comes to birth," nothing seems to happen, in our work, our ministry, our relationships and it becomes difficult to pray in faith when we feel so ineffective, but prayer opens the door for God to work, as Hannah discovered.

We also need to be careful what we promise in prayer, God may take us up on it. Hannah wanted a child so bad that she was willing to bargain with God, and God took her up on it, and to Hannah's credit, she kept her promise even through it was painful (1:27-28).

Although We are not in a position to bargain with God, He may choose to answer a prayer with a promise. It's extremely dangerous to ignore a promise especially to God. God kept His promises and he expects us to also.

I Samuel 1:12-13

Eli was a high priest, he saw this woman in the tabernacle praying. He watched her mouth saw her lips move,but could not hear any sound. Hannah prayed with such zeal in her heart, she poured her soul out, soul is mind, will, emotions, she prayed with such zeal she literally "lost her mind," and Eli thought she was drunk. A general condition of the day, since his sons drank and he had closed his eyes tot he situation, and also many came into the tabernacle of that day drunk, it wasn't a good place to be.

When you notice something is wrong in a person, what is your first reaction? Eli made a snap judgment before he knew all the facts. It's easy to misunderstand motives and actions. We need to be sensitive to the fact that, like Hannah, someone may be facing tremendous burdens. Before we make a judgment, we need to find out what that person is going through. (16:7)