God Helps Us Trust Him

The Thistlebend winter/spring study, Heart of a Woman, came to a close a few weeks ago. We were given several great options to continue to study God’s Word until our summer study begins. Since the Heart of a Woman study revealed to me how much of my sinful thoughts, actions, and behaviors are rooted in fear, I felt the Lord leading me to choose an interim Bible Study called Fearless, which focuses on replacing fear with FAITH.

Today, one of our focus Scriptures was 1 Samuel 2:1-10, which is known as Hannah’s Prayer. Hannah’s story is one of grief, but also of triumph. She was married to a loving man, but she was unable to have a child, and so she was deeply grieved. On top of that, her husband had another wife who was able to have children, and she maliciously taunted Hannah. Yet Hannah trusted the Lord. She cried out to Him in her affliction. And in time, God answered her prayer. He granted her a son – Samuel — who grew up to be a great man of God. Hannah praises God for who He is and what He has done for her. She gives God all the glory for the gift of her son.

As I spent time with the Lord this morning, I thought about how beautiful Hannah’s faith was and how she trusted God. The Bible tells us that Hannah’s heart was grieved, for she did not have what she most desired. But she did not fear. She trusted that God would hear the cries of her heart.

So…I went on my way for the day. I was busy most of the morning. I finally had a chance to check my texts and was shocked to read that that my husband had received some very disappointing news. Our insurance had denied authorization for a medical procedure he badly needs. Scheduling the procedure had been an answer to prayer. Everything had lined up in ways that only the Lord could have ordained. Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, the path we were on crumbled away – and no other path is in immediate sight.

It was after processing this news and praying about it that I remembered my time in my Fearless study this morning and recalled Hannah’s Prayer:

“How I rejoice in the Lord!
How he has blessed me!
Now I have an answer for my enemies,
For the Lord has solved my problem.
How I rejoice!
No one is as holy as the Lord!
There is no other God,
Nor any Rock like our God.”
(1 Sam. 2:1-2, TLB)

I was reminded that God will solve our problem, in His way, and in His time. His timing is perfect! He is sovereign over everything: doctors, insurance, medical procedures, schedules. He alone is God. He holds the world in His hands. He will make a way for my husband to be healed according to His will.

Our God is so great! He lovingly and graciously gave me Hannah’s Prayer this morning to prepare me for a difficult predicament later in the day. Hannah’s example helped me avoid my default “what if” negative thought pattern. What peace there is in the truth of who God is!

Like Hannah, I proclaim: “How I rejoice in the Lord! How He has blessed me!” (1 Sam. 2:1, TLB).

Growing in Grace