Do you trust me?
The words might as well have been flashing in neon from a highway billboard. There was no subtlety or whisper floating on the wind. Instead, the question was a bold declaration as I was walking.
The unexpectedness of the question on this day caused me to readjust my ear buds, wondering if the message was part of the podcast. But as hard as I tried to keep walking and ignore the proverbial elephant in the room, I had to pause and understand “why now” and “why there”?
The words speaking through my headphones were about Hannah. A bit of her story and the why behind her connection with God. As I was walking, I was half listening. I began to go through my usual list of “why” questions, beseeching God to hear me this time. And then, the mic drop!
Do you trust me?
Wait! What? Is Hannah the reason behind this question? Why is God interrupting my walk? And, do I need to address this right now?
God makes no mistakes. Ever! He heard my grumblings and my same old, stale questions. And now He wants me to listen.
The call was to stand up straight, let go of the same old questions, and listen to the truth of who God is and will always be.
I took some time to dig into the story of Hannah. What I found was a woman faced with infertility, a husband who loved her deeply, and an intense time of heart-wrenching prayer to God. Hannah deeply desired a son and was distraught over her inability to provide a son for her husband Elkanah. Hannah entered the temple sanctuary and poured out this prayer:
Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
If you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain,
If you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me
By giving me a son,
I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to you.
I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. 1 Samuel 1:10-11 MSG
It almost sounds like Hannah is making a deal with God. If you give me a son, I will give him completely to you. The passage, though, describes this as a vow Hannah made the day she was praying in the temple.
Hannah’s willingness to walk in faith and obedience, opened the door for God to take the next step. A sliver of truth filtered into my own heart. The words obedience and sacrifice began to swirl around.
The question that stopped me on this day was about more than answering “do you trust me”? You see, Hannah’s story lays out what it looks like to walk in trust and obedience. It required sacrifice on her part, but the story did not end there. God richly anointed her with a son, named Samuel.
God called me to stop pouring questions out to Him and open my ears to listening well. He knows I trust Him, more often on my terms than His, but sees the reality of the desires of my heart.
God took Hannah’s story and matched it with what I am learning about obedience and sacrifice. He reminds me:
Obedience may look like sacrifice, but the rewards are so much richer.
That He doesn’t need my help to move me from A to B. He desires my heart.
When I fall into a space of unknowing, God reveals His beautiful presence in many ways.
That I am His Hannah. God hears me, sees my tears, and is oh, so faithful.
Friends –
Do you believe you are God’s Hannah? On those days you face the question, “do you trust me” head on, what keeps you moving forward like Hannah? What does it look like to walk in obedience when your feet are dragging and heart is aching?
I am exploring these questions too. God didn’t interrupt my walk for me to avoid the gift of a life with Him. And I know He wants the same for each of you.
[Tweet “When we walk in faith and obedience, it allows God to open the door for the next step. #TellHisStory”]
Together let’s embrace God’s interruptions. Let’s choose God first just as He chose us. May we see beyond our same old questions and know the answers are already written by a God who wrote our stories even before we were born. Together we can walk in obedience because God clears a way and what we can’t see now will be so much better than we imagine.
Blessings for a week of letting “do you trust me” stop us in our tracks!
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A complete and unflinching faith to God is a rare gift to have. You have very rightly mentioned that to experience the manifestations of God’s presence, the faith should be complete, bereft of any doubt. I enjoyed reading this, felt uplifted and good.
Thank you
I love studying the women of the Bible. Hannah’s prayer is what she is remembered for but she was also tormented by Penninah. I am touched by her making Samuel clothes and leaving him with Eli.
You are right that Hannah’s story didn’t end with her prayer. I love that her story laid such a beautiful foundation. Thank you for being here.
Love this topic and your pics. So well written. Had difficulty computer difficulties for a few days after I read this and just now can respond🙄
Your encouragement blesses me. Thank you for taking the time to comment even after your computer problems.
“God called me to stop pouring questions out to Him and open my ears to listening well.”
Ah, Hannah. She is one of my favorites. I admire her willingness to cry out to God honestly and from the depth of her heart.
I also admire her obedience to keep her commitment to the Lord and dedicate young Samuel to live with Eli in the service of the Lord.
Thank you!
I am sure that God wants me to learn more about Hannah, but for now this is a beginning. There is so much to learn through the stories of the women of the Bible. I hope to go deeper. Thank you for joining me here each week. You are a treasure.
Mary – I posted, a comment but then it disappeared so sorry if this is a duplicate :/ I knew this was going to be a good post when I saw your teaser on instagram yesterday – WOW You give us some tough questions to ask. Thanks fo your encouragement to see ourselves as God’s Hannah . Blessings
I’m glad you persisted even after you thought the comment disappeared. I appreciate you.
Amen Mary ! This is such a good post, I knew it would be when I say your teaser on instagram yesterday. I haven’t ever thought to put myself in Hannah’s position like that and ask if I see myself as God’s Hannah for now, thanks for some food for thought. Blessings
I never thought of God asking us to be His Hannah either. But God sure loves to teach is new things in order to grow in our relationship with Him. Blessings sweet friend!
We recently studies Hannah’s story at church. Thanks for adding to the instruction. laurensparks.net
I bet your study on Hannah was amazing. I touched the surface of a story that involves so much more. Thank you for being here.
Yes, I want to embrace the interruptions….if it deepens my dependence on Him. As I read through this post, I am (too) quick to think “yes, I trust Him” but can specifically hear Him ask “what about in this area?” Thank you for a provoking, insightful post.
I love how God stops us in our tracks in order to teach us a lesson. One that we didn’t know we needed but God knew. We might answer “yes” to the question of “do you trust me”?, but God sees all and knows the status of our hearts. I’m so glad you stopped by. I’m blessed to have you as part of this community.
Trust is such a tender subject, isn’t it?
It’s easy to think we get it, that we trust God because our words say we do. But I’m realizing this is a lifelong mission to grow in our trust for God. And He loves every minute of the process. He walks with us. He guides us. And when we take wrong turns He willingly redirects us.
It certainly is. And we lull ourselves into a place of believing it is easy to trust God, but we let so many other things cloud our vision. God is definitely a patient teacher. Thank you for being here!
I trust God implicitly and welcome his interruptions. He’s shown me over the course of my life that he really does know best.
Thank you for your testimony of faith. God is an amazing teacher if we just let Him. Blessings!
“When I fall into a space of unknowing, God reveals His beautiful presence in many ways.” Love this line, Mary. So many truths here, and the title clarifies it all. Can we say yes and amen?!
Yes and amen! Thank you for being here. Your presence is a gift.
Amen to this eye-opening post, Mary. The words you wrote right at the end caught me, Together we can walk in obedience because God clears a way and what we can’t see now will be so much better than we imagine. What an encouraging thought! God is clearing a way! Thank you for that today. Blessings to you!
Thank you for this encouragement. When God stops us in our tracks with a question such as, do you trust me, it is time to lean in and listen. May God clear a way in your own walk of obedience.
It’s still true, what we’ve been told; to trust and obey is the only way to be happy in Jesus. Thanks very much for this reminder, Mary. Blessings to you.
You are welcome! May we all rest in the promises of God knowing that when we walk in obedience we give ourselves the chance to grow as God’s child.
Thank you so much for being a storyteller. I appreciate you and your work.
Your encouragement is such a blessing today. Thank you for being here, Erendira!
Oh, how many times I have not trusted Him because I was/am trusting in myself. I desire to trust that One Who is trustworthy and faithful. His promises are perfect. He is perfect. Thank you for taking me deeper this afternoon. I have some “Do you trust me? sentences to face.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Hi Linda! Thank you for sharing a piece of your journey today. Trust seems easy, but it can also be the most difficult thing we face. God knows that and He also knows sometimes we need Him to ask us again “do you trust me”? I pray you find your time with God provides you your own Hannah moment.
Mary,
Having technical difficulties. I’ll try this again. Your post hit me right where I am in my questioning today. Sitting here icing my knee and my foot, I wonder if God will ever heal me and I am wondering if I trust Him. Also waiting and wondering on some other fronts. I am hearing His voice through you today. I so want to answer, “Lord, yes I trust you!”
Blessings sweet friend,
Bev xo
Sorry about your technical difficulties. Thank you for sticking with me and leaving such sweet encouragement.
Mary,
Your post spoke to my heart today with the exact question God is asking me? Do you trust me? I’m always trying to make things happen and right now I am just not making headway on many fronts. Particularly frustrating is the healing on the injury front. As I sit here icing my knee and foot, I am so trying to trust that God will bring ultimate healing, but I’ll be honest, I’m feeling really discouraged. Also waiting and wondering on some other fronts. God is speaking to me through you today!!
Love and blessings,
Bev xoxo
It’s hard to learn that God really doesn’t need us to try to fix things. He has it all under control. It is a lesson I learn over and over. God needs me to answer the question, “do you trust me”? by listening and knowing that He has the answer.
I will continue to pray for your complete healing. Also for the other things that are on your heart. God knows and hears your deepest desires. That’s why I believe He asks us to be His Hannah. Love you friend!
I love the story of Hannah, Mary. Her heart was breaking open before the Lord, and yet Eli accused her of being drunk. That part always touches me. God knows. God sees. God cares. No matter what people think or say. What a moving question God halted you with! “Do you trust Me?” A question He often asks me. Love and hugs to you!
Hannah’s story really touches me because even though she was accused of being drunk, God saw through that and heard her heart. It amazes me to know how God is in every part of her story even when we don’t feel His presence. I appreciate your presence here, Trudy. You are a sweet blessing to me.
Thank you for sharing this great question Mary. It is one that God continually asks me, in every new season. This rings so true with me also: “When I fall into a space of unknowing, God reveals His beautiful presence in many ways.” I am praying that I will listen for Him even more.
Learning how to trust God is a lifelong process, at least for me. My focus easily moves to other things when it should be trained on God. I am praying for you as listen, hear from God, and find His presence along the way.
Oh, Mary. What a powerful post today! Hannah was my comfort during our years of infertility. And I love what you shared about us being God’s Hannah. I’d never considered that before. I love her example of trusting God, even when she no doubt saw what Eli’s sons were doing, and knowing her boy was exposed to some of that.
I love how God shows Himself faithful. And how He challenges us to look to Him rather than ourselves, especially in uncertain seasons.
I could go on, but I won’t. LOVED this post, my friend!
I imagine that Hannah and her story was one that surrounded you with some hope. I would love to hear your story sometime. I only shared a small piece of Hannah’s story but I know there is so much more that can teach all of us. You show me how you walk in God’s faithfulness through your own stores and challenges. You are a beautiful example to me of looking to God first in times of uncertainty. Blessed by your encouragement.
To see myself as Hannah … yes, yes, Mary, I can go there. We don’t have to look far into the stories of most biblical characters to spy the intricacies of who we are.
Praise God for redemption!
It’s something to spend some time reflecting on, isn’t it? May we feel God’s love as He chooses us to be His Hannah’s in our everyday walk of faith and obedience.
“What does it look like to walk in obedience when your feet are dragging and heart is aching?”
Wow! Lord, keep our feet moving.
Amen. May God guide our feet even when we feel we can’t take another step. Love and hugs!
Wow, great question, Mary: Do I believe that I am God’s Hannah?
I’m afraid I’m more likely to pray safe prayers and to hold the desires of my heart at bay, not trusting God for the kind of BIG giving He did with Hannah’s little prophet-in-the-making. I love the pivotal role Hannah played in giving the nation of Israel it’s spiritual anchor for hard times.
Hannah was one woman in a line of women that played pivotal roles. I really was listening to a podcast and thoughts of Hannah were part of the message. That is so God. He knew I needed her story to help me in my own. I am not one to pray BIG too often because it terrifies me so I understand what you said. But can you imagine the gifts that we would discover if we allowed ourselves to step out?? Thanks for being here.