Desire, Discipline, Delight part 2

Let’s look into the book of 1 Samuel where Hannah was praying for a child. Hannah was married to Elkanah, but Elkanah had another wife. 1 Samuel 1:2 “He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.” It was bad enough that she couldn’t have children, but when Peninnah began to rub it in, it became more than Hannah could bear. 1 Samuel 1:6 “Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.” This went on year after year to where Hannah would weep bitterly. Hannah’s desire for a child was growing and growing.

Finally, it manifested in a powerful time of prayer. She goes to the temple to pray. 1 Samuel 1:10 “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.” This wasn’t just any prayer; it was a prayer from the depths of her heart. 1 Samuel 1:12-13 “Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. Eli [the priest] thought she was drunk.” Even though she was not making any noise, the distress of her soul was so great that Eli thought she was drunk.

Her desire drove her to desperate measures. She wanted a child so badly that she prayed like Paul prayed in Galatians 4:19, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you…” Hannah prayed until her child was formed in her. That takes discipline.

Remember our cycle: Desire, which brings us to Discipline. Discipline is where most people quit. Discipline is the biggest part of this process. While desire is just a launching pad, discipline is where the rubber meets the road. Desire is the liftoff - but if the desire is not great enough, we will give up once we hit this second phase of discipline. 

People often people talk of their great desire to get close to God, but then give up as soon as it requires a little discipline. Proverbs 20:6 “Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” It’s not a matter of what we claim to be or have; we are defined by what we actually do. Faithfulness relates to the discipline aspect of this process. If you declare your love for God, its measure will be determined by the consistency of your pursuit of Him. 

Even though it appears that Hannah had this giant prayer time in which she finally got God’s attention, in reality, Hannah had been going to the temple to pray for many years. 1 Samuel 1:7 “This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” Hannah did not give up. Her desire was great enough that even though her rival provoked her each time she went to the temple to pray for a child, Hannah did not let this phase of discipline stop her. 

This went on for years. Year after year she prayed for a child, until one year, the answer came. 1 Samuel 1:17 “Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’” Finally, the answer came! Hannah receives the confirmation she was looking for. Her discipline pays off. 

Look at what happens to her: 1 Samuel 1:18-19 “Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord.” She had been weeping and not eating during the discipline phase of this process but now that she has the assurance that her prayer will be answered, she eats something and her face is no longer downcast. 

If your face is no longer downcast – what is it doing? It’s rejoicing. Joy has been restored – and the joyful heart worships. The next morning, Hannah gets up and worships before the Lord. She has come to the place of delighting in God Himself. Desire, Discipline, Delight. Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
 

I believe that God was trying to get Hannah to get over herself and her self-pity before she got her prayer answered. I wonder if initially it was just about Hannah and the bitterness she had in her heart for her rival who continually rubbed the fact that he could not have children in her face. Year after year she prayed - until one day she prayed a different type of prayer. 1 Samuel 1:11 “She made a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me… then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.’”

Continued tomorrow