Hannah’s Prayer and the Pain that Drove It

“And her [Hannah’s] rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat” 1 Samuel 1: 6,7.

In genesis 3:15, we read of the curse of satan.

“I will put enmity between you [satan] and the woman,
   and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel.”

It’s the Pain that Motivates Us

I think there’s truth to the idea that to the degree our heel has been bruised by satan, and we’ve suffered because of his influence, to that degree will we be motivated to “bruise his head”.

Or “crush satan under our feet” as Paul puts it in Romans 16:20.

Ironically, it’s the bruising, the damage, the pain that satan causes, that motivates us to rise up and crush his influence in our life once and for all.

To read more about this idea, you may enjoy Meaning of Genesis 3:15: Crushing the Serpent’s Head.

We see this principle at work in this passage about Hannah and her husband’s other wife, Peninnah. Peninnah was able to have children, whereas Hannah was barren.

To read the text for context, click here.

Hannah’s Prayer Driven by Pain

If Hannah didn’t have a rival, who provoked and irritated her, she may not have been sufficiently motivated to “pray out of great anguish and grief” v. 16.

And in so doing, remove the cause of provocation and irritation.

The abuse that Hannah endured at the hands of Peninnah was painful. But ultimately, it worked for her good.

It was the catalyst that motivated Hannah’s prayer for a son, to receive a son, and finally “bruise her rival’s head”.

Peninnah “bruised Hannah’s heel” by cruelly taunting her, causing her to be discouraged and to cry. But as a direct consequence of this, Hannah took her grief to the Lord.

He, in turn answered her prayer and gave her a son. And removed any further reason for provocation. In this way, Hannah ultimately bruised her rivals head permanently. She put an end to the torment by removing its source.

I believe this is an important reason God allows satan to roam about on the earth (1 Peter 5:8). The heel bruising that he inflicts is often necessary to cause us to turn to the Lord. And repent of our sins.

Hannah’s Prayer: Pain Turned to Blessing

And no one is more hungry, more motivated, more determined to be blessed, and remove the source of pain than the one who’s been repeatedly bruised.

It’s often those who’ve been sinned against the most, and cared about the least, who turn to the Lord. Paul said God chooses the foolish, weak and lowly things of the world.

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are” I Corinthians 1: 27, 28.

And James tells us God chooses the poor. “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him” James 2:5? 

Jesus had to allow satan to bruise His heel, by letting him persecute, and finally kill Him.

This was necessary so Jesus could ultimately bruise satan’s head. By accomplishing the purposes of God for mankind.

We All Need a Catalyst to Drive Us to God

Because of our fallen, sinful nature, we are in need of a catalyst to drive us to God. And away from our sin.

But the more we partake of the divine nature, and die to the fallen one, the less we need these bruisings to drive us to God. In fact, the less we will experience them.

Because it’s usually our own foolish, sinful conduct that brings about the bruisings in the first place.

Who knows? Had Hannah not been cruelly taunted by Peninnah, she may have never uttered a prayer. And remained childless to her dying day.

Let’s be grateful for the painful situations in our lives that drive us to pray.

If you enjoyed Hannah’s Prayer and the Pain that Drove It, you may also like The Parable of the Sower: Summary of Affliction.

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