In 1 Samuel 1:17-18, Hannah is praying feverishly for God to give her a son. She prays to the point of weeping and being unable to eat. As she prays in the temple she ends up receiving a kind word from the priest, Eli. This passage from The Message says that her face become radiant and she went to eat.
I thought a great deal about her change in countenance and how my own attitude doesn't necessarily reflect joy when I am praying. This was a woman who was desperate for an answer from God, but gained strength in knowing that God had heard her. Her joy became evident before she had received any answer to her prayer. She trusted God enough to know that He would work things out for the best and she could simply rest in that promise.
Where are we in this? Are we seeking God's face so desperately that it affects us? Are we wallowing in the apparent lack of an answer or are we having peaceful confidence in God's response time that may not match our own?
There are times for fervent prayer that may affect us emotionally and physically, but there must be a transition to joyful confidence in God's ability to listen and respond in His timing. Perhaps there is significance in the calmness of our heart after baring our souls to Him. There is nothing cursory about this-it is an understanding of the genuine concern God has for His children and His desire to provide what is best.
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