The Trials of Motherhood

Happy Mothers Day! And may I say this is a day we celebrate all women - biological mothers, step mothers, adoptive mothers, those who step into roles of mother (teachers, Sunday school teachers, aunts, friends, the list goes on and and), and even mothers to be. You do not have to experience childbirth to mother a child - each of you influence countless children throughout your life, and for that we thank you. While I don’t know how Allison does it some days, she always makes sure she manages her household well and still has time to make life fun for us as a family. Ladies, you all are awesome!

There are so many things that you all teach us, even early in life:

* Mothers teach us about foresight: "Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident."

* Mothers teach us about logic: "If you fall out of that tree and break your neck, don’t come crying to me."

* Mothers teach us about maturity: "Eat your vegetables or you’ll never grow up."

* Mothers teach us about religion: "You better pray that comes out of the carpet."

* Mothers teach us about time travel: "If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

* Mothers teach us about contradictions: "Shut your mouth and eat your dinner!"

* Mothers teach us about contortionism: "Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck?"

* Mothers teach us about perseverance: "You are going to sit here until you eat every last piece of that broccoli."

* Mothers teach us about genetics: "You’re just like your father."

* Mothers teach us about the weather: "It looks like a tornado swept through your room."

* Mothers teach us about the circle of life: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

And while I joke around some, I want us to take a serious look at someone who was a Godly mother. Someone who desired to have children, but had not seen that blessing yet. Someone who poured out their heart to God in prayer - even to the point others around her though she surely was drunk. But God heard her prayer, and blessed her with a child - Samuel. At a time where she desired motherhood, God granted the blessing. Just like many mothers, there had been countless hours of prayer to God. Lord, what have I done wrong, Lord, why have you not given me a child, Lord, I will give that child back to you if you bless me to become a mother. You see, the prayers of a mother don’t go unheard or unanswered. But not only did Hannah desire to be a mother, not only did she pray for motherhood, she was dedicated herself and her son to God. You see, she even took her child - the child she had prayed so hard for - to the temple and dedicated him to God. We should use Hannah as an example of how we should approach motherhood - through desire, through prayer, but most importantly through dedication to God.

The Desires of a Mother

1 Samuel 1:1–8 ESV

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 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. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

Hannah had remained barren for many years, and was troubled greatly because she could not have a child. During this time, it was important for a man to have a son to carry on the family name, and Hannah was ashamed she could not have a son for her husband. While they were deeply religious, they had not placed their faith completely in God. They assumed God had kept her barren (closed her womb), and while this could be the case, God could just as easily allowed her to conceive. Her husband, Elkanah, loved her, but did not have faith that God could provide a son and took a second wife who did conceive. It caused tension among the family as Peninnah had children and began to degrade Hannah. Because of Elkanah’s deep love for Hannah, maybe there was a sense of jealousy that caused this provocation?

We know her husband felt Hannah’s pain as he showed favor to Hannah in giving her a double portion of meat - exacerbating the taunting from Peninnah. Constant badgering and poking fun until Hannah broke down and could not eat. Year after year, the same taunting. She was broken, and it didn’t matter how her husband tried to console her, she couldn’t be consoled. She felt helpless and hopeless, suffering deep pain, feeling she had been cursed by God and had failed her husband.

Today, there may be those who want to be a mother, but are heart broken because they can’t. Maybe it is from the loss of a child, or maybe it is other issues that are bringing pain into our lives - finances, loss of jobs, even loneliness and frustration from being kept in quarantine for over a year now. Just as Hannah suffered, we can suffer too, yet we can know that God listens to our desires, He hears us, but He may not answer us immediately or as quickly as we desire.

Many times we pray for God’s guidance, protection, and will to be done in our or our children’s lives. But we want to help God along sometimes. We want to try to take things into our own hands and force things to happen. But when we do things on our own accord, we run the risk of going against God’s will and causing ourselves more pain and anguish. Learning to wait on the Lord and allowing ourselves to be patient, petitioning God in prayer - and keeping our hope He will answer.

The Prayer of a Mother

1 Samuel 1:9–18 ESV

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Hannah had become so miserable, she had no other recourse but to pour her heart out to God - and was in such great agony she could not offer a proper verbal prayer, but instead was grieving to the Lord in silence - with only her lips moving. In her prayer she requested that God give her a son, and if He would grant her this wish, she would give the son back to the Lord. He would be set aside for the service of God, as a Nazarite - his hair would never be cut. She asked that God would not forget her or her plea. As Eli watched her lips move but no words being formed, he thought Hannah’s actions during prayer were because she was drunk. Because this was a time of godless faith, there was corruption and perhaps there were others that had turned this religious festival into a drunken party and he just assumed Hannah was drunk. But she corrected him, telling him she was sober, and had not drank any intoxicating beverages. Instead of pouring another glass, she was simply pouring out her heart to God in prayer. Eli gave her assurance and told her to go in peace, then asked God to grant Hannah’s prayer. Hearing this assurance, Hannah experienced a peace in her heart and went away and ate.

Many times when we get to a desperate place and cry out to God, we will promise God anything. Lord, if you will just do this one thing for me, I promise… But, when God answers our prayers we quickly forget what it is we promised God. Or, we pray for so long we get weary of prayer and think God will never answer it. But when He does, we forget what it is we prayed for. Then we may pray not expecting God to answer, and we get surprised when He answers our prayers and our lack of faith is clearly illuminated. But in Hannah’s case, she did not forget what she had promised God. She remained faithful to God for answering her prayer.

The Dedication of a Mother

1 Samuel 1:20–28 ESV

20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

God heard and answered Hannah’s prayer. After all the years of praying, worrying, hearing the taunts, feeling the disappointment, God allowed Hannah to conceive. Mothers, one thing you can hold true to is God will hear and answer your prayers - in His way and in His time. There may be times we go through difficult circumstances, and wonder whether He is listening, but we can look back through scripture and see that God has always answered the prayers and met the needs of His people. Just this week, a prayer such as this was answered. A mother’s prayer for over 30 years was answered when her drug-addicted son received Jesus as his personal Savior. There were many times when that mother worried herself to tears and agony. There were many times that mother prayed in earnest for God to intervene, only to see her son continue in his sinful ways. There were many times she petitioned others to pray for a wayward son - only now to see her prayers answered.

It would be easy to give a sigh of relief and say “thanks God” and let our guard down. It would have been easy for Hannah to say “thanks God”, I have my son now… and I know I told you I would dedicate Him to your service, but now I think I will keep him. Lord, it wouldn’t make much sense for you to give him to me, only for me to give him up. I will raise him, I will teach him, I will...

But Hannah did not forget her promise to the Lord, as a matter of fact she made sure she fulfilled her promise to the Lord. She waited until Samuel was weaned, and went to the temple to dedicate him to the Lord. Elkanah supported his wife and her decision, even though it meant giving up their firstborn son of his beloved wife. They sacrificed the bull, then they dedicated Samuel to the Lord.

Conclusion

Hannah is an awesome example of faithfulness to God. Something that all mothers - birth, step, adoptive, even supportive - should strive for. She made a promise to God, and she kept her promise. She did what she said, she kept her word. Too often today, our word is as dish water. When we make a promise to God, we must keep our promise. We must do what we say we will do. God has never let us down, and we shouldn’t let Him down. Mothers, don’t give up on your prayers for your children. Don’t give up on the child that seems hopeless. Mothers, keep praying, keep setting the example, keep being the faithful servant Christ has called you to be. You will be blessed.

In the end, Hannah gave her son Samuel back to the Lord. She knew where he came, she knew the promise made, and she knew her heart was full and life complete. While it could have been a time of deep grief, Hannah chose to praise God for answered prayers.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Then Hannah prayed:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD!

The LORD has made me strong.*

Now I have an answer for my enemies;

I rejoice because you rescued me.

2 No one is holy like the LORD!

There is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

Related Media

Related Sermons