Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 1:5-6, But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.
One of the things the devils use to discourage us is the times in our lives when we experience difficulties. There will be those moments in life when it seems like nothing goes our way. To add insult to injury, there will be that person(s) in our life that seems to always be blessed, even though they are underhanded, hypocritical, and wicked in their behavior and/or attitude. They always seem to get the upper hand and gain the favor of the people around them, even though they are two-faced and gossipers. They sin behind closed doors, but in public everyone thinks they are godly. We see their true colors, but we can easily become bitter because it appears that they get away with everything, and seem to receive the blessings, while we suffer for trying to live for the Lord. We do our best to pray, read and study God’s Word and live a peaceful, godly life; yet, it seems that life keeps throwing dung at us. I would caution us to beware of what conclusions we draw from all of this. Peninnah and Hannah, Elkanah’s two wives were in constant conflict because of Peninnah’s wicked attitude toward Hannah. Peninnah was blessed with children, while Hannah was barren (v. 2). We may not see this as a big deal, but in those days, with the hope of the coming Messiah, no one knew who would be the woman who would experience the ultimate blessing of being chosen to carry the Savior of Israel, and the world, in her womb. Penninah added to Hannah’s misery by taunting her. This provocation was so severe that Hannah could not even enjoy the blessing of having a husband who favored her and loved her more. She received a double portion, yet she could not rejoice, even in the Lord’s house, for the fact that she received a double portion from her husband. If we are not careful, we will allow the devils, and the people they use as tools for their wickedness, to steal our peace and our joy. We must be careful to not make the judgment, or come to the conclusion, that God favors us less because He is allowing us to walk through difficult times. On the contrary, God had great plans for Hannah, whose womb He closed for the time being. Little did she know that in the midst of her misery she would finally rejoice greatly when God opens her womb and brings forth a son who God would use as a prophet for His people (v. 20). Psalm 37:1-2 admonishes us, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” Jesus told us to love our enemies because when we do, we are behaving like children of our Heavenly Father who makes the sun to rise on both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:43-45). We must be careful to avoid judging what our life is and will be, based on what we are going through at this very moment. Abraham and Sarah had no children because Sarah was barren. Yet, God in His mercy and grace brought forth a nation from Sarah’s womb. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and ended up in prison due to false accusations. Yet, God made him the second most powerful man in Egypt. We will see later that David, in spite of being anointed king, had to run for his life because King Saul sought his life. In the end he became one of the greatest kings in Israel and is included in the lineage of Jesus. When we suffer trials, and it seems that those who are around us are behaving wickedly and prospering, we must put our eyes on Jesus and trust that God has a plan that goes beyond our current situation. We must continue to seek Him and bring our circumstance to Him. We must bring our cares to Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Philippians 4:6-7 clearly says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” He promised that He would ultimately work all things together for our good (his children), and when it is all said and done, the greatest blessing that we will enjoy is transformation in our attitude and actions that will make us more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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