The Waiting Game

Last Sunday in church I was introduced to the story of Elkanah, his barren wife Hannah, and the taunting that she had endured from Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah. 

This story personally struck me in many ways. I have two children so it was not in a childbearing way, but in the fact that Hannah waited out her storm. My personal storms of weight loss struggles, relationship issues, and harboring ill feelings towards those who do “wrong” have really taken a toll on me in recent years. Often at times one storm rolls right smack dab into another storm, snowballing, and creating even further havoc.

It is daunting. I often feel alone. I feel defeated and that is why Hannah’s story is so comforting. She waited out her storm. She was perseverant. She never gave up on God, and in the end He blessed her with Samuel. She was NEVER alone even when her husband was away with his other wife and children, because she had God. She never lost faith.

We all want something. Sometimes we want many things, but far too often we become impatient while we wait. We lose faith.

So today, I am stepping back from the worries and into my own personal waiting zone. I am stepping back from the bitterness towards those who find comfort in taunting others, and I will even say a prayer for them. I am taking comfort in the many positive relationships I have established and not focusing on the negative ones. I am going to obediently wait for God to select the proper time to reap my harvest. Until then…. 

PS. I suppose I will have to continue reading, but I wonder? Did Hannah say “Neener, neener, neener” to Peninnah when Samuel ended up being the only child of Elkanah’s whose name appears in The Bible?? I am going to guess not, and I will chalk that up to another life lesson learned from The Bible.

by Jessica Dudley