by Angie Jarratt
1 Samuel opens with a picture of a family. Elkanah and his wife Hannah and a second wife Peninnah. Peninnah most likely had entered the picture because of Hannah’s inability to conceive. Hannah had failed to fulfill her primary expectation of her social role and would feel ashamed and embarrassed. In the Bible we see several women struggle with the same inability, in Genesis we see Rachel say “Give me children or I shall die!” (vs 30:1) Sarai so desperate for children gives her maidservant to her husband. (Genesis 16:2) Hannah like these other women carried shame and hurt because of her barrenness, but she also had Peninnah to really drive it home for her too.
1 Samuel 1:7- 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.
Well, hello Peninnah, and all your sons and daughters. Peninnah was fruitful, she was more than able to do what Hannah couldn’t. Yet giving Elkanah children didn’t compensate for the lack of love and intimacy in her marriage. So what did she do? She PROVOKED, taunted, made Hannah miserable. Peninnah rubbed it in YEAR after YEAR. Hannah had endured more than her share of torment. Attack after attack. Comments, looks, and let’s not forget the living arrangements, Hannah had to live in the same house with this woman.
So I immediately want to hate Peninnah for her cruel behavior. But something in me just can’t. At times I have been this very woman. Have you ever had everything in the world that should make you happy but you’re still chasing that one thing that’s out of reach? Now maybe you aren’t tormenting anyone (maybe you are), but let me ask you this, deep down are you tormenting yourself? See Peninnah is the picture of comparison, of covetousness. Not having Elkanah's affection eats her alive until she’s a bitter, mean and ugly person. Peninnah is the poster child of what sin will do if it isn’t dealt with. It eventually consumes us stealing all our blessings and good things.
Both women in our story carried a brokenness, a wound, an inadequacy. In his book Waking the Dead, John Eldridge talks about wounds and hurts caused by people in our lives and circumstances beyond our control. He says
“These blows aren’t random or incidental. They strike directly at some part of the heart, turn the very thing God created to be a source of celebration into a source of shame. And you can at least begin to discover your glory by looking more closely at what you were shamed for. Look at what’s been assaulted, used, abused.”
READ THAT AGAIN.
“How long O men, will you turn my glory into shame?” (Psalm 4:2)
Let’s apply Eldridge’s thoughts to our story. We can blame Peninnah but is she really the villain of our story? When we really break it down who is always behind the brokenness, shame, lies and sin? That’s right the enemy. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a). Maybe, just maybe, Peninnah was just a pawn in the scheme. She carried out the enemy’s plan; year after year she stole Hannah’s happiness, she killed her dreams and destroyed her home. (Job 1:6)
What Peninnah didn’t see is by trying to destroy Hannah she too destroyed every bit of glory that God could have given to her too. The blessing of the kids she did have, the home, the husband who provided. Every blessing compared to Hannah just wasn’t enough. The enemy made Peninnah feel the shame of being unloved and she fell for it.
So if Peninnah is the picture of sin and comparison then Hannah is quite the opposite. See we can’t forget the second half of John 10:10 Hannah gives us a perfect example; “I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b). See that’s what sets Hannah apart from her adversary, she totally doesn’t fall for it! Not only does she stop the enemy in his tracks through prayer she moves the heavens with her actions. Samuel didn’t just show up at the tabernacle. His momma dropped him off. The state of Israel was terrible. In verse 14 Eli accuses Hannah of being drunk. IN THE TABERNACLE. The people were evil and Hannah wanted to do something about it. She put God’s glory and purpose before her own feelings and hurt. She saw the bigger picture.
Think about it, why such an assault on Hannah? The enemy wanted nothing more than to keep her quiet, keep her weeping year after year, beat her down, shred her heart and wound her until she had no fight left. BUT look at verse 19, the Lord remembered her. God had another plan, Hannah did rise up, she made the sacrifice, kept her vow. She trusted the Lord to deal with her adversaries and the evil in Israel. Hannah’s obedience doesn’t just give her a child or children. It changes a nation. She even prophecies of the coming Messiah. (For the first time in the Bible my friends) both Zechariah (Luke 1:69) and Mary (Luke 1:46-55) quote Hannah’s words in 1 Samuel 2:10! That means the very thing that brought Hannah shame, played a part in bringing us Jesus!
The enemy wants to keep us quiet too, hurt our hearts, wound us deep and make us think we don’t DESERVE to make a difference in this dark and ugly world. I believe that God is stirring up women. The ones who have been provoked; the one that's too ashamed to talk about where she’s been. Maybe you’re reading this now and you know He’s calling You.
He wants to show His glory in all the shame; there is no condemnation! Only redemption! Only restoration and healing.
I want you to search right now. I want you to go back to that place of hurt. The dark, the place you push down and hide, I want you to go there and find your glory to fulfill your purpose! Be a Hannah and give God the glory He deserves.
Ask the Holy Spirit these questions:
Who in my life has provoked me or who have I provoked?
Do I relate more to Peninnah or Hannah?
What part of my heart has been broken, used or abused?
What area in my life has the enemy wounded?
What will change the lives of others, and defeat the things holding me captive in my life?
How can God use my life?
It’s time to fight back, give God the glory and have your victory!
If you would like us to pray for you in your battle with shame, comment and we will go to battle with you!
