FAITH CAPSULE: Persistence demonstrates faith and God is pleased when there is faith.  

1 Samuel 1

In spite of opposition, obstacles, discouragement, and mockery you continue to have hope in God for your breakthrough. In spite of delay, abandonment from the love ones your trust does not waver. Does any of the above describe your situation? If yes, you are not alone God indeed is with you. It seems so very long that you have been waiting with no answer. Know that as long as you remain persistent; you insist on God’s visitation by waiting, God will visit you. God’s word promises in Isaiah 64:4, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” It is worthy to rest and have assurance that God will act on behalf of those who wait. Keep the testimony of Hannah, seek God and you shall see His act manifested in your favor.
Elkanah, Hannah, Peninnah and all of Peninnah’s sons and daughters went to Shiloh every year to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts. Every year they went and nothing changed in the story of Hannah. She was barren going and coming. There was no indication of complaining or fighting with anyone in or outside of her family. Hannah was the neediest and probably the quietest. Hannah kept on going with her family and most probably with no excuse. She was barren but she trusted God for intervention, and she was persistent. You may be wondering what happened in your case. Does it seem that you have been totally forgotten? Being persistent is what you need to be in order to get what you want from God. Being persistent means you call on God without doubting, and you do it constantly and consistently. Persistence demonstrates that you have faith and God is not pleased when there is no faith. The situation with Hannah was that God had closed her womb. Elkanah gave his best to make up for Hannah when he resolved to giving “…Hannah a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb.” (1 Samuel 1:5) Persistence often provokes the hand of God to open a closed door. In Hannah’s persistence, the Lord remembered Hannah, “So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel,saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”” (1 Samuel 1:20) The Lord blessed Hannah more than she expected. Know today that God is God. Let no man seal up the close door that is already upon you with negative confessions. Go the way of persistence and understanding that God can choose to open or close the door. He alone is God.

Prayer for today: Ask God not to withhold His tender mercy from you. Ask for His loving kindness to preserve you continually.