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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 1 Samuel 1:10

Read: 1 Samuel 1:9-17
Listen: 1 Samuel 1

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Hannah leaves the festival and marches to the Tabernacle. She pours her heart out to God in prayer, weeping bitterly. Her lips move, but she can’t even verbalize her prayer. The priest notices her behavior and accuses her of being drunk. Grief, pain and anguish poured out to God caused her behavior, not alcohol poured into her body. Pouring her heart out to God seems to make space for his peace to fill her. She is no longer downcast even though the situation isn’t unresolved (1 Samuel 1:18).

God invites and welcomes us to bring our deepest pain to him. This gut-wrenching honesty runs throughout the Psalms. David, known as a man after God’s own heart, pours his heart out to God time after time. While running from enemies, hiding in the desert and facing death threats, David declares, “I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble” (Psalms 142:2). David later urges people to trust in God at all times and “pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8).

We can pour our pain to God when we are angry, betrayed, abandoned, rejected or just want to hurt someone. He welcomes our grief when we suffer loss, discouragement or confusion. No emotion is off-limits with God. Bringing pain to God is essential to moving through a breaking point with our faith intact.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Write a prayer to God in your journal or mobile device. Describe in detail the emotions you face and the pain you feel—and pour out your heart to God.

2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.

October is SERVING. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.