To bring forth a 'Samuel'

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut her womb.

Because of Hannah's state and the persecution that she suffered, this brought her to a point in her life where all she could do was to come before the LORD and to cry unto Him. She couldn't even speak her prayers - she could only move her lips to proclaim her distress and to request that if the LORD would grant her a son, she would give him back to the LORD. And by her coming before the LORD in that way, she drew the attention of Eli the high priest so much that he thought she was drunk. But after her explanation, he blessed her and told her the LORD would grant her petition. (1Samuel 1)

The suffering and circumstances that Hannah went through, brought about Samuel. And it led to the type of upbringing Samuel had before she gave him unto the service of the LORD. And it ultimately led to him being a blessed prophet of the LORD, the one who heard the voice of Yah calling unto him. He was the one who judged Israel for many years. He lived during the times of Saul - the first king of Israel, and then anointed David to be King of Israel. There were so many things that Samuel did with the LORD during his life...but:

What if Hannah had not suffered as she did before she was blessed with Samuel?

Would she have raised him in the fear of the LORD as she did? Would Samuel have been given back to the LORD in the manner in which he was? Would he have been in the LORD's service, there to hear the voice of the LORD? Would he have been such a prophet as he was? Would he have been the one to judge Israel? Would he have been the one to anoint David king? Would his life had had the impact on all of us, that it has?

So often, it takes many years for us to realize the effects that our sufferings and/or circumstances have on our lives and the lives of others who are affected by our lives.

I'm sure that after Hannah was blessed with Samuel, she feared and loved the LORD in such a way, that all she wanted was for her son to know the LORD, to follow Him, to live for Him (read her words in 1Samuel 2) and I believe she did her best to prepare him for the life she was going to lead him to during the time of his weaning. She had promised to give Samuel back to LORD, and she did. And while he was in the house of the LORD, he was a boy who heard from the LORD, and became a man who was in close relationship with the LORD. What a blessing! What a legacy for Hannah to have! What a life for Samuel to have!

But it took her sufferings and her persecutions to bring about Samuel. It took her pain and tears and supplication unto the LORD.

Sometimes we too, have to suffer persecutions and situations that will bring about our own 'Samuels'. Sometimes it takes our own pain and tears and supplications unto the LORD to bring forth life from the dead.

Look at what our lives cost our LORD and Savior. Look at the persecutions and grievous situations he faced and the pain and tears and the prayers that He gave to bring about the life that we can now praise and thank Him for.

And more than 2,000 years later, look at the affect that our LORD has had on the world and on us. Look at all of the lives that have been redeemed and saved!

We may suffer, and we may be persecuted. We may have to cry out to the LORD, and we may have to experience bitterness of soul. We may have to pray until we can only cry some more. But think ahead. Be encouraged. Have hope in what blessings could come forth and in the life that can be born from your own circumstances.

^{Romans 12.9-15}Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.