Don’t run from the pain…

• 1 Samuel 1:10 (NKJV) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

Currently in my prayer time I am working through the different verses in the bible that refer to prayer.  Today’s verse (see above) really captured my heart.  It is a description of a barren woman desperate to have a child.

When I read today’s verse I sensed God speaking to me about two things:

1. First, I thought of Hannah’s barrenness.  She had a husband who could conceive children (he had children by another wife).  In other words, she could do everything humanly possible to conceive a child but at the end of the day only God could make it happen.
2.  Second, it was only until she reached the point of desperation that she was able to receive from God what she needed.

Nothing has changed.  There are some things in our lives that in spite of our best efforts they will not be resolved.  Working harder and smarter won’t do it.  Throwing more resources at it and calling back-up won’t do it either; only God can solve some things and that will not happen until we truly and finally get desperate.

We work so hard to insulate ourselves from bitterness and anguish.  But maybe that is the starting point of truly getting a breakthrough.  Don’t run from the pain, let it drive you to  your knees…in prayer.