Why does God allow weaknesses and shortcomings in our life? Haven’t we cribbed long enough asking, “When will my prayers be answered?  Will it ever be answered?” Indeed everyone has this question! In a lightning fast world as this, we desire even prayers to be answered the same way, in seconds!

Our God is a God who hears and answers our prayers and petitions. God’s delays are not denials. God’s greatest power is displayed in our biggest weakness.

One good example would be Hannah’s story.  Everyone knows or has heard about Hannah, who prayed for a boy and God blessed her heart’s desire. Let us delve deeper into the case study and see why God lets weaknesses in our life:

1. To Keep Us Humble In The Sight Of God And Men.

Hannah had all the material comforts of the world, but that never took a toll on her. One of the reasons for that was her barrenness. Though God had given her everything, she remained humble in the sight of the Lord.

We see in II Chron 12:1-6 that as King Rehoboam grew stronger, he, and the whole of Israel forsook the Lord.  Further in verse 7, when the congregation humbled themselves, the Lord’s wrath turned away.

In a world where one feels superior to the other, we should be humble before the Lord.  We must learn to keep ourselves firmly rooted to the ground.

2. To Keep Us Close To Him.

We see that in a testing situation, Hannah became close to God like never before.  She started pouring out her heart before God.  Every time Peninnah provoked Hannah, she would run to the Lord.  This provocation led Hannah to find solace in God’s presence.

I personally relate to this as I have gone through a similar experience. When I was attending interviews, I would clear all the rounds, till the final discussion when they would say “We will get back to you.” And that would be The End! Because they never did! It was during this tough time I came closer to God like never before and started getting to know Him more and more.

There are some who don’t feel like praying through their hardships. If you find are unable to open your mouth, just close the door behind you and talk to Him as you would talk to a friend sharing your experiences.  That is more than enough. God will lead you from there!

3. To Experience God’s Grace.

Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, loved her more than he loved Peninnah. That was the grace God had given her.  If the whole world is against you and the One-that one person you really need, is with you, you have won it all! That is how God showers you with His grace in hard times. He works in ways we cannot see. Joseph’s case explains this. Though he was in jail, he found favor in the eyes of the chief jailer and the rest. Keep your eyes open to see God working in every area of your life…slowly, but steadily.

4. To Reveal More Of Himself To Us.

Hannah’s song in I Samuel chapter 2 indicates the never-before revelation about God she experienced. It (especially verses 1-10) talks of all of God’s strength, power, and comfort which Hannah discovered as she inched closer and closer to God.

As we delve deeper in our relationship with God, He reveals His secrets and treasures that have yet been unexplored by us. In Hannah’s case, her mind opened up to who God really was. “There is no one holy like the Lord.  Indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any Rock like our God.  For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed.”  Wow!!! Only a person who has tasted God so deep can write a song like this.  In the presence of the Lord, we must give time for the Lord to speak to us.

5. To Lead Us More Into Commitments.

The moment we know who our God is, we get committed to doing something great for God.  It is an ongoing process that never ends. During Hannah’s time with the Lord, He was actually molding her. Hannah made a vow to God that she would give Samuel for the Lord’s service. Indeed, she kept her word. Never did she go back on her commitment. One cannot make a vow like her out of the blue! Only a person who is soaked in the presence of God can come out with such a bold statement. Expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.  Even before God blessed Hannah with Samuel, Hannah dared to make a vow. That is Faith!  As the saying goes by Martin Luther, “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

6. To Reveal His Greatest Glory.

Samuel turned out to be the prophet who anointed the very first King of Israel (II Kings).  Never in her wildest dream would Hannah have imagined this.

After scores of episodes of walking in and out of interviews, one fine day I got an interview call from Chandigarh, a place I had no connections at all.  I thought it was absurd and shrugged it off.  But then, it was true!  I got through a top ranking, internationally renowned company!  No one in my whole family, even in my extended family, had ever got such an opportunity!  All of God’s promises are backed by His wisdom, love, and power to reveal his Greatest Glory in the midst of darkness.

Have you been waiting to hear from the Lord over your need? How do you respond to your difficult circumstances? Share it with us here.

(Has the Lord put something in your heart that would edify the body of Christ? We invite you to write a guest post on this blog. To write a guest post on this blog send us an email here, to subscribe to this blog by email go here)

This is a guest post by a dear friend Preethi Agnes who lives in Bangalore and works as an HR in DTS Informations Systems and is an intercessor and prayer warrior. Her passion for God is evident in her lifestyle and her tweets. You can follow her on twitter here. I pray this post blessed you, looking forward to hearing from you!