Submission To God's Will Relieves The Misery

There are times when our wants directly conflict with God’s plans. Therefore not all prayer aligns with God’s will. We, of course, being the stiff-necked people that we are, resist submission to God’s will. So our prayers are often self-centered, self-serving, and completely in defiance to God’s plans and purposes.

You see: it is in our nature to avoid suffering. The Lord gave us the gift of pain that we might know and stay away from those things that do us harm. Yet the Lord also gave us trials and tribulation, manifold temptations, and a season of struggle that we might pass through the fire, not around it. According to the apostle Peter, these trials are “more precious than of gold that perisheth”.

Scripture says that we do not know for what we should pray. Now this is clearly a statement concerning unique situations. I mean, Jesus Himself revealed a method of prayer that we should follow. And throughout the writings of Paul the apostle, we are given clear instructions concerning the what for and the how to of prayer.

So what is meant in the book of Romans by these words: “And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26-27)?

In answering this question, I think of Hannah, wife of Elkanah, and mother of the prophet Samuel. You likely know the story. Elkanah had two wives, one fertile and one barren. Hannah had no children for Jehovah had shut her womb.

Scripture records how that Elkanah’s fertile wife, Peninnah, reviled year-to-year Hannah, and how that Hannah wept, and moaned, and did not eat. Now the bible only records one prayer from Hannah. Yet it is so clear that she must have prayed often over this matter.

Can you see this woman alone in the dark hours of night, burdened with shame and hurt, crying out to Almighty Jehovah for relief and help? “They laugh at me,” she may have cried. “I am shamed and without child in a world that counts barrenness of womb a curse.” How often she must have pleaded as the years dragged slowly along, each one empty, and each one without resolution to the ache in her soul.

Ah, but there came a time when the nature of those prayers changed. There came a time, I think, when Hannah ceased to pray solely for herself, a time when in her heart she became willing to receive a child for God rather than for herself, a time when she was ready to say “Here, Lord. Let him be what you want rather than what I what. Let your will be done”.

That prayer is recorded in this manner:

“⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah.
¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore.
¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head,” (1 Samuel 1:9-11).

Oh see, if you will, the readiness of this woman to submit to God’s will. Jehovah had need of a prophet. He had need of a man whose words would never fall to the ground, of a true priest to take the place of those who played at being God’s people. And so He birthed that prophet through the pain and suffering of this poor Hebrew woman. I believe that all of Hannah’s prayers were sincere, and honest before God. Yet I also believe that on this day, and for this particular prayer, God supernaturally ordered the focus of Hannah’s words so that they would align to His will and to His greater plan.

The scripture continues in this manner:

“¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth.
¹³ Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
¹⁴ And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.
¹⁶ Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.
¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
¹⁸ And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more sad,” (1 Samuel 1:12-18).

No! Hannah did not know how to pray concerning this matter. For years she poured out her heart with the wrong purpose in mind. This is the same with us. We spend so much time trying to escape the fire, so much time seeking to bend God’s plan to suit our comforts. Is it any wonder that we know not for what we should pray?

I don’t know who you are, but I tell you now. I tell you true. Turn loose of self. Cherish all that God gives you, but never hold anything so tightly that it prevents you from praying that His will be done in your life. Then, and only then, will you know the full blessings of peace and assurance.

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