In Wait, Episode 2 — Ask Me in Prayer: Hannah's Plea

Hi Ladies,

I feel like Hannah right now.

I have been Hannah.

And so have you.

Somewhere between frustration and uncertainty.

Holding onto hope and battling with anger.

Unsure of whether I heard God correctly when He reassured me that what I asked for was still on the way.

Wondering whether I would ever receive the thing I’d longed so deeply to have—Not because I was uncertain,

but because the desire to honor God with that next thing was too much to bear alone.

When I first started to write this blog post, I thought I had the words figured out.

I knew exactly what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it.

But somehow the words escaped me.

Not because I didn’t know what to say,

but because I couldn’t find the words when I needed them the most.

I couldn’t dare think to let my guard down.

I thought that maybe if I did,

I’d be letting others judge what they only prematurely knew.

Hannah knew.

Hannah knew what it was like to want something so badly it made her bitter.

She knew what it was like to be silent in public but sobbing in private.

She knew what it was like to pray for something that others already had.

She wasn’t jealous—she was earnest.

Earnest because she knew what the Lord promised her even before it landed in her lap.

The desire Hannah was not merely man-made, but divinely ordained.

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Welcome to Episode 2 of our new series The Wait.

In this series, we will explore many topics revolving the the lives of the women who learned to know God for themselves.

This blog post we will explore how Hannah's response and honest plea allowed God to open the door and fulfill her biggest wish. 

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Have you ever desired something so badly that you felt incomplete—almost invisible—without it?

Maybe that thing you’re yearning for feels like the missing piece.

Like it’ll fill some deep, unconscious need you haven’t quite named yet.

Maybe things aren’t panning out like you thought they would.

And now you’re stuck: grieving the present, but also sitting in the in-between.

Like you’re hoping this dream, wish, or ask will somehow fill the gap you feel inside.

Well, in Hannah’s case,

she dealt with many circumstances and feelings that only led her deeper—into the quiet, intimate presence of Jesus.

She Didn’t Clap Back—She Prayed Back

Let’s zoom in. 

Who was Hannah?

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah. His first wife was Peninnah, and the second, Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. This was a big sore spot for Hannah as all she wanted was to bear children like Peninnah and the other women in her village, but she was unable to conceive. 

In fact, she was tormented and ridiculed by her rival every single day. Can you imagine being taunted with the one thing you desired the most, yet you're reminded of it every day. Not because you can’t have it, but because they already do. But if there’s one thing to know about Hannah: she kept her composure. She didn’t let her emotions control her actions. She understood her value as a woman and knew when to get up from the table when necessary in order to protect herself and her character. 

1 Samuel 1:9 says this:

On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate, then disappeared to pray to Lord and wept with many tears.

Prayer Was Her First Language

She disappeared not because she didn't want to say anything in response, but because knew it would not represent her love for the Lord. Instead she did what she knew in times of trouble: she prayed. In times of disappointment, she prayed. In times of frustration, she prayed. Even when she faced being misunderstood, she prayed. Prayer became her weapon, when her voice failed to sound.

Hannah made it a part of her routine to commune regularly with the Lord. She knew the Lord was her confidant, even when things didn’t make sense. 

Proverbs 18:24 states:

"One with many friends will be harmed, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother."

Psalms 27:10 highlights says:

"Even when my mother and my father abandon me, the Lord cares for me."

Hannah understood the power of prayer and used it to fight her battles. She clung to the Lord to guide her even if others made her feel crazy or filled her head with doubt. 

The Power of Prayer

What Philippians 4:6 says about what happens when you pray:

“Don't worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Jesus name.”

She knew that because the Lord was with her, she did not need to be concerned with what was yet to come. She knew that even without her son in her arms, she had everything she needed and the blessing was still on the way. 

“Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. But he gave a double portion to Hannah. For he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving.”

It was clear that the Lord favored Hannah — not because she had everything, but because she made Him her everything. She did not need to be perfect or present herself flawlessly, she just needed to show up. She allowed herself to show up: Messy, Angry, Sad, and confused.

She did not hide her emotions from the Lord. But recognized that he would honor her faithfulness. 

Matthew 6:5-6 says this about prayer:

5 “But when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray  standing in the synagogues to be seen by people [...] 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And the father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

She didn’t need a platform.

She didn’t need an audience.

She just needed a quiet space and a willing heart.

Proverbs 37:4-5 speaks on the posture of prayer:

“Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way also unto the Lord; Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.”

The Birthing Room: When Prayer Meets Pressure

Sometimes the waiting isn't about patience — but posture. Sometimes the cry is one of preparation. A cry of labor, where the woman is getting ready to birth something spiritual before it becomes physical. The wait is not about how long it takes, but how big is the mantle that God is asking you to carry. It's not punishment, it's alignment.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:5

It's in the womb where your character is being developed to match your calling before it arrives.

The story of Hannah was one with many ups and downs, but she never lost her way. She kept her eyes focused on Jesus and let him handle the rest. Her job was not to figure it out alone, but to let God determine the timeline. She trusted in his plan and was blessed because of it.

So if you’ve been praying, pressing, crying, and hoping...

Let me reassure you today:

You’re not stuck in the waiting room anymore.

You’re in the birthing room.

Don’t quit now.

It’s almost time to push.

The promise is still on the way.

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