1 Samuel 1:1–20: In the town of Ramah in the highlands of Ephraim lived a man named Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was named Hannah, the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year, this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. At that time, Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters, but to Hannah, he gave a double portion because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival, Peninnah, provoked her repeatedly because the Lord had closed her womb. This went on year after year; whenever they went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah provoked her, so Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” After the meal, Hannah stood up and went to stand before the Lord’s altar. Priest Eli was sitting on his chair by the entrance to the Lord’s temple. In her deep anguish, she prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. She made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord. I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
Mark 11:22–24: Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Deuteronomy 31:6–8: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Birte Slot-Henriksen shares Hannah’s story from 1 Samuel chapter 1, where Hannah carries shame and sorrow year after year because she cannot have children. She faces mockery from Peninnah, the other wife, and societal pressure, where childlessness is seen as a punishment from God. Yet, Hannah maintains her relationship with God, clinging to hope and faith through persistent prayer and trust. Despite repeated painful rejections and prayerful moments at the temple in Shiloh, Hannah chooses to keep praying and trusting God. The teaching emphasizes how, in one’s own sorrow and longing, one can use fellowship with God as strength and anchor, even when answers are absent—and how to express one’s inner prayer honestly, directly, without facade or pretense.
The story continues to the episode where Hannah, in deep pain and tears, pours out her heart to God, disregarding outward forms. Priest Eli misunderstands her silent prayer as drunkenness, but Hannah insists on her genuine need and receives a prophetic blessing: “Go in peace, may the God of Israel grant your request.” Without doubt or question, Hannah accepts this word and finds peace in her heart, even before circumstances change—a powerful reminder of the strength of faith. The teaching highlights that true peace and trust do not come from visible results but from the conviction of God’s faithfulness and goodness.
The further narrative describes how Hannah makes prayer and worship central, regardless of delayed answers. God’s praise is not dependent on what He does but on who He is. After receiving the desired child, Samuel, she keeps her promise and dedicates him to the temple, expressing gratitude and worship for both the gift and the giver. It is emphasized that God often uses processes and waiting times to build character, trust, and obedience, so the blessing extends far beyond the individual’s life—for Hannah’s obedience and prayer pave the way for Samuel, prophetic schools, David, and onward to Jesus.
Parallels are drawn between Hannah’s persistent prayer and the woman with bleeding: Both endure long-term pain, loss, and isolation before acting in faith and experiencing God’s breakthrough. Sometimes it requires dropping the facade and letting God access the whole heart for transformation to occur. The teaching highlights that we often stand in the way of God’s work, but true surrender opens the door for miracles and new beginnings.
Biblical promises of God’s faithfulness and care are repeated: God never leaves or forsakes His servant (Deuteronomy 31:8), and growing trust in faith leads us through one trial to the next with greater strength and courage. The value of supporting and backing each other in what God calls us to is illustrated by Hannah’s husband, who acknowledges and encourages her decision, and the teaching incorporates personal experiences of supporting one’s partner in the call of faith.
The teaching concludes with a focus on bringing all worries to God, not taking them back, and instead letting faith lead to active action—moving mountains, taking up the fight, and letting God give abundantly. There is an encouragement to lay everything out, let God pave the way to the future, and praise Him not for gifts, but for who He is.
Quote from the teaching:
“Faith and tribulation are never wasted when given to God—He blesses abundantly.”
