1 Samuel 2:1 Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving – Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord.
The same areas of the brain get activated as when people feel physical pain or emotional pain. Neuroscience has proved that “the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex” gets activated when people feel physical or emotional pain. Hence pain caused by shame, rejection, heartbreaks can affect the person more than or as much as a physical injury. An external wound attracts attention, medication and consideration whereas the pain of the heart is hidden and concealed within the cortex. Emotional pain cannot be drugged or put to sleep but must be dealt with and healed. Hannah was a socially rejected, humiliated and shamed barren woman. Jewish men were forced to remarry if their wives are unable to have children within the first 10 years of their marriage. Since, Hannah’s husband Elkanah and his second wife Peninnah had around six children, Bible scholars believe that Hannah was under this dreadful disgrace of barrenness atleast for 20 years before she had Samuel.
A visit to the temple one year turned things around for Hannah. In her agony only the lips quivered as her heart cried bitterly. Even, Eli, the High Priest presumed that this anguished woman was drunk! But the Lord looked at the affliction of her heart, opened her womb and gave her seven children. The lament of Hannah turned into a melody and a song of rejoicing as she emptied, surrendered and healed from emotional pain.
Three steps to turn depression into delight:
1. Reject: Emotional pain is real. Reject rejection by pouring out and emptying your heart. We will never be healed and restored if we don’t download, empty and drain the dread, grief and heartache. Hannah poured out her suffering, shame and sullenness to the Lord. Bitterness and resentment will deepen the scars of rejection and stop us from progressing. The moment Hannah poured out her distress, she made room in her heart and her womb to receive the blessings which turned into a song of thanksgiving.
2. Renovate: Emotional pain causes damage to the brain, behaviour and our personality. Hannah went to make the thanksgiving offering year after year but there was no song in her heart as it was damaged, torn and tattered by the tornado of depression. Unless we allow the Holy Spirit to renovate the areas devastated by the storm of torment, humiliation and rejection we cannot be restored with a song of praise. Sweet Jesus will turn the scars of the past into a song of praise.
3. Refill: Emotional pain can cause emptiness and worthlessness. When the word of promise and prophecy was given to Hannah, her face was no longer downcast. Once the song of praise gripped her heart and filled her mouth with praise, the door of blessing was opened. There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God (1 Samuel 2:2). Emptiness of our heart must be refilled with the promises and prophecies which will birth the blessings; turn our mourning in dancing and sighing into singing.
Emotional pain is real, deal with it, empty it; allow the Lord to renovate, refurbish and refill your heart with His joy and turn the sorrow into a song of praise.
Psalms 34:18 The Lord makes poor and rich; He humbles, He also exalts. He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the garbage heap. To seat them with nobles.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to surrender the secret emotional pain and receive the fullness of your Grace. Wipe away the lament of rejection, give me a melody in my heart and a song in my lips. Amen
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