Articles
No Holding Back
1 Samuel 1:15 -“But Hannah replied ‘No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.’” Hannah was oppressed. She was physically unable to bear children, and was mocked for it year after year by the woman who deprived her of a portion of her husband’s love. Hannah wept often and barely ate. Even her husband could offer no comfort. There was only One she could truly confide in. Weeping bitterly, she “poured out her soul” before the LORD.
How do we deal with depression from oppression? The natural reaction might be to take vengeance on our oppressors. Instead, Hannah let God “thunder against” Peninnah (1 Sam. 2:10) the way Peninnah “thundered against” her (cf. v. 6 - “irritate” in lit. Hebrew). In our desperation, we might gather sympathizers to make us feel better. Hannah, however, only needed one sympathizer: “...there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:2). There is nothing easy about depression from oppression, but we have a God who wants us to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Hard times only get harder when we hold back our true feelings from Him. Hannah’s soul didn’t trickle out before God; it gushed out.
