She desperately wanted something from God.
Hannah had not been able to have children. Year after year, she endured cruel comments about God’s displeasure with her and how God had forgotten her.
Over time, Hannah’s despair ran so deep, she wept and refused to eat.
Finally, while at the Temple, she broke down before God.
Crushed
Scripture says, “Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried – inconsolably. (1 Samuel 1:10 MSG).
Through her tears, she begged God to remember her and give her a son. If God would give this gift, she promised to dedicate her son to the Lord.
Have you ever desperately wanted something from God?
Maybe you have a family member battling a life-threatening disease. Perhaps your marriage is a half-step away from divorce court. You may have unfairly lost your job or face some financial hardship and don’t know how you will make it.
Desperate
Sooner or later, we all face a desperate time. Confused and distraught, we don’t know where to turn.
In desperation, Hannah turned to God. She prayed so deeply in her heart her lips were moving, but she didn’t make a sound. When the priest, Eli, saw her, he accused her of being drunk. She said,
“Not so, my lord…I am a woman who is deeply troubled…I was pouring out my soul to the LORD…I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” (1 Samuel 1:15-16 NIV)
Pour It Out
In times of great anguish and grief, our best bet is to bypass bitterness and pour out our soul to God.
Tell. God. Everything.
Just let it rip – the hurt, the disappointment, the anger, the confusion, the sadness, the loneliness, the fear, everything.
It’s a messy prayer that usually involves tears and never spoken confessions. It may involve swearing. Whatever is in us, all of it, is poured out.
It is not a time to worry about being proper or controlled or elegant. We don’t have to fear being offensive. God has big shoulders.
Our Creator knows how we are and wants to hear our real thoughts and feelings, not some edited version to preserve appearances.
After Hannah’s heartfelt plea, she ate gratefully, her face radiant. She knew that God had heard her prayer.
In fact, God answered her prayer in abundance. After her firstborn son, she had five more children!
Supreme Joy
But here’s what truly changed Hannah’s life. The supreme source of her joy was her relationship with God, not her children. She loved first the Giver, not the gifts. She says, “My heart rejoices in the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:1 NIV).
What do you desperately want from God? Are you willing to pour out your soul, telling God everything?
If so, you will come face to face with the Lover of your Soul. You may receive your specific request in a miraculous way. It is also possible you may not.
Either way, the greatest gift you will receive is the Giver himself.
“I’m walking on air…God brings life…he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives.”
1 Samuel 2: 1,6,8 (MSG)
Speaking Schedule
Roger will be preaching at Christ Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois, on June 1st and 8th at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 AM.
(339 Frank Scott Parkway E., Fairview Heights, IL)
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Roger Ross
A native of Cambridge, Illinois, Roger has served as a pastor in Texas, the British Channel Island of Guernsey, and Illinois. While in Illinois, he led teams that planted two new churches and served for 10 years as the lead pastor of one of the largest United Methodist Churches in the Midwest. It was his privilege to serve as the Director of Congregational Excellence in the Missouri Conference before coming into his current role with Spiritual Leadership, Inc (SLI).
Roger now comes alongside pastors, non-profit leaders and their leadership teams as an executive coach, specializing in leadership that inspires change. As a side gig, he loves teaching evangelism and church planting as an adjunct professor at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.
Other passions of his include SCUBA diving in warm blue water, Krispy Kremes, and board games with family and friends. He also has a weakness for golf.
Roger is the author of three books, Meet The Goodpeople: Wesley’s 7 Ways to Share Faith, Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For, and Come Back Participant Guide, all through Abingdon Press. Roger’s new book on Being and Making Disciples of Jesus releases August 2025.
Now for the best part. Roger is married to Leanne Klein Ross, and they live Bloomington, Illinois. God has blessed them with two adult children, a son-in-law, several tropical fish, and one adorable granddog.
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