Spilling Out Your Heart to the Lord- Dissecting the Story of Hannah

The story of Hannah is marked by the beauty of giving our hearts to the Lord. In 1 Samuel 1:1-7, Hannah, the wife of Elkanah is described as being mournful and sullen as the Lord shut her womb. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, would often tease Hannah because of her barrenness. Peninnah had several sons and daughters with Elkanah. As the years went by, Hannah went up to the house of the Lord and wept bitterly because of her condition. But here is where the story becomes even more interesting. In verses 8 through 18 Hannah was incited by her bitterness to pray to the Lord, but in this prayer, she made a vow. 

8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”

15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel will grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

I love this scripture. Hannah’s bitterness in her soul led her to cry out to the Lord. In verse 15, Hannah says she is a woman of a sorrowful spirit who has poured out her soul to the Lord. In this verse, the word “to pour out” is Shaphak (shaw-fak') (Strong’s entry 8210), meaning to spill forth, to expend life, soul, complaint, to intensely sprawl out. To pour out, specifically, what is in the heart. In response to Hannah spilling the contents of her heart out to the Lord, in verse 17, the Lord granted Hannah her petition. 

1 Samuel 1:19-20

19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 

20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

Hannah’s adversity was important in shaping her to become the woman the Lord created her to be. In verse 11, she dedicates her unborn son to the Lord. And in Verse 18, her countenance changes after pouring out bitterness from her heart and laying it at the throne of God. Hannah poured out emotions to the Lord. Her bitterness and sorrow led her to draw close to the Lord and spill out her heart. The Lord changed her countenance, and a spiritual weight was lifted off of her. 

Matthew 15:11 AMP says It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean and defiled, but what comes out of the mouth; this makes a man unclean and defiles [him].

Proverbs 4:23 AMP says Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance, and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Psalm 32:2-5 AMPC says 2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]—then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

The condition of our heart matters to the Lord, and what we store within it also matters to Him! These verses highlight how the heart is capable of storing emotions, sin, and past hurt that can hinder our walk with the Lord. 

Although Hannah suffered much pain in her barrenness, it was in her pain that she came unto the throne of God and poured out her heart. She released everything and every emotion that could hinder her. And what did the Lord do for her? He heard her prayer, delivered her from the burden of bitterness and mourning, and opened her womb. Let your pain be something that drives you closer to the Lord. Hannah dedicated her son to the Lord, and her son became the Prophet Samuel, who served Israel and served as King David’s spiritual advisor (see 1 Sam 16). 

I will leave you with this. 

I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings (Jer 17:10 NKJV). 

Let the Lord search your heart and release what is not fruitful. It’s ok to spill out your heart to Him. Release the emotional deadweight that is holding you back. 

Go in Peace <3