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From misery to praise

 [WOMEN of the Old Testament] 

HANNAH: From misery to praise_ 

1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 

 
Waiting is one of the hardest things we do. So much of life involves waiting, and in an age of instant-everything, waiting irritates us. But waiting is hardest when we see the clock running on, the years going by, and still our hopes and dreams are unfulfilled. 

 
[Group discussion starter] How do you react – physically, emotionally, spiritually – when years pass by and still your most cherished hopes haven’t materialised? How have you learned to cope with the tension this brings to your life? 

 

Hannah knew about waiting. In a society that measured a woman’s worth by her children, Hannah was unable to give birth. Year after year she waited, in misery, for the answer to her prayers. She had two choices; to be bitter or to continue seeking God’s help. Our study will look at Hannah’s journey from misery to praise... 

 
[Read 1 Samuel 1] 

 
Why is Hannah’s pain so intense? 
 

 

[Activity] In verses 9-11, Hannah turns to God in desperation. What does her prayer reveal about her? 

 
 

 

When you are bitter about your disappointments, to who (or what) do you turn? 
What are your expectations? 

 
 

Just like how Hannah’s response revealed her inner person, what does our response to pain and disappointment reveal about us? 

 

How do Hannah’s subsequent actions show her certainty that her son was a gift from God? 

 
 

[Read 1 Samuel 2:1-11] 

 

 
Describe the shift in Hannah’s focus between chapters 1 and 2. 
What brought this about? 
 

 

[Activity] What does Hannah believe about God? (Find several strong beliefs) 

 

 
 

 

Which of Hannah’s beliefs about God could you state as your own, and how did you come to these beliefs? 
 

 

How would you define what Hannah is doing in verses 1-10? 
What is the source of her joy? (Compare it with Hebrews 13:15-16) 
 

 

What specific things can you learn from Hannah about the solution to the pain of unfulfilled hopes? 

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