I’m not a fan of the “name it and claim it” type of “doctrine.”
In my opinion, it’s nothing more than the culturally popular, YouTube-endorsed idea of “manifestation” dressed up in Christianese.
But there’s a woman from the Bible who believed and praised God for answered prayer—even before she received the answer.
Hannah is described as a woman who could not have children. Because of the shame of barrenness in those days, Hannah was deeply anguished. She goes to the temple and cries out to God with such turmoil and passion that the priest, Eli, thinks she is intoxicated.
But in 1 Samuel 1:15, Hannah clears the air with Eli. She says:
“…I am a woman who is deeply troubled…I was pouring out my soul to the Lord…”
When Eli hears her humble correction of his assumption that she was drunk, he says to her:
“Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you’ve asked of him.”
What follows is an amazing act of faith.
Scripture records that Hannah “went her way, ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”
The next morning, she and her husband worshipped at the temple before returning home. (1 Samuel 18-19)
What had changed in Hannah’s circumstances?
Absolutely nothing.
She was still childless.
She was still going to get those snide comments.
She was still going to be viewed with pity.
But something had shifted. Not in her external circumstances. But in her heart.
Hannah trusted God’s Word, God’s timing, and God’s character—and that changed everything.
This wasn’t about naming and claiming or declaring and decreeing.
This was about knowing who God is and surrendering to His will.
Hannah worshipped God for who He is—even before she received her blessing.
What an example for us as we look to His heart and not His hand.
In time, God blessed Hannah with a baby who grew up to serve God not only as a priest, but as Israel’s first prophet and “king maker.”
In last week’s blog, I wrote about feeling purposeless as my calling seemed to have been stolen from me. But through Hannah’s story, God showed me that I can praise God right where I am—even before the breakthrough or the blessing—because His love and sovereignty cover my life.
Maybe, like Hannah (and me), you’re walking through metaphorical barrenness too. Maybe you’re in deep anguish, and all you know is to come to God with garbled words and incoherent thoughts.
But that’s really all He asks of us. To bring our mess to Him with absolute humility and surrender. To allow ourselves to fall apart in His presence.
As followers of Jesus, we don’t make demands and declarations. We don’t manipulate or “manifest.” We pour out our hearts before Him, we trust who He says He is, and we wait in hope for His will to unfold in our lives.
We put our hope in His unfailing love. We worship Him even before we welcome His blessings.
Here’s a little poem inspired by the Hannah story. It’s not AI-polished, but it’s my prayer that it moves you from the wasteland of barrenness to the wonder of hope in Jesus.
She Worshipped Before the Answer Came
Barren,
Carrying only the ache of shame,
Knowing deep, inconsolable pain.
Hannah bore the weight of unfair blame.
Beloved
Of her husband, who saw her face forlorn,
He tried to reason with her, yet
Hannah longed for a son of her own.
Bitterly
She wept in quiet despair,
Misconstrued by Eli, the priest,
Hannah mouthed silent prayers.
Before
The answer even came, she praised,
No longer downcast or afraid,
Hannah worshipped the God of miraculous ways.
Because
Her cries rose before Him, God heard,
She committed her gift to Him,
Hannah trusted as God remembered.
Brokenness
gave way to wholeness,
Bitterness
gave way to blessings,
Barrenness
gave way to hope.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:13
6 Responses
Thanks for the reminder to worship in the middle of trials, uncertainty and suffering. Beautiful poem.
Thank you, Somini. So grateful that we get to hold on to His promises as He walks with us through the valleys. Blessings, Susan
Thank you! I always find your blog posts so timely for my own life. Thank you for allowing the word of God to shine through your writing. That poem is beautiful (and much appreciated that it is not “AI-polished”)
Thanks so much, Sherika! God knows what we need to hear and when we need to hear it ◡̈ Blessings, Susan
❤️
Thanks, Heli! ◡̈