How can 1 Samuel 1:8 guide us in comforting others in distress? Setting the Scene: Hannah’s Deep Distress Hannah’s pain was real and overwhelming. Scripture records that her rival “provoked her severely” (1 Samuel 1:6) and that Hannah “wept and would not eat” (v. 7). The narrative is given to us not as legend but as accurate history, exposing the raw emotions of a godly woman whose deepest longing seemed denied. Elkanah’s Questions: A Window into Comfort 1 Samuel 1:8: “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Elkanah does several things worth noticing: • He acknowledges her tears: “Why are you crying?” • He observes her physical state: “Why won’t you eat?” • He probes her inner turmoil: “Why is your heart so grieved?” • He reassures her of his love: “Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Principles for Comforting the Hurting • See the person, not just the problem. – Elkanah calls Hannah by name and notices her tears. Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” • Ask gentle, specific questions. – Questions invite the sufferer to speak; they are a form of active love. Proverbs 20:5 reminds us that “a man of understanding draws it out.” • Address both physical and spiritual needs. – Elkanah mentions eating and grieving. Practical help (meals, rest) often opens the door to deeper comfort. • Offer personal presence and reassurance. – His statement about being “better…than ten sons” may seem clumsy, yet it underscores commitment. Galatians 6:2: “Carry one another’s burdens.” • Keep pointing to God’s character. – Though not spelled out in verse 8, the wider passage leads Hannah to the tabernacle and to prayer (v. 10–11). True comfort ultimately directs hearts toward the Lord, “the Father of compassion and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). What Comfort Is Not • Minimizing pain (“It’s not that bad.”) • Fixing quickly with platitudes (“Just have faith.”) • Making it about ourselves (“Am I not better…?” can slip into self-focus if we’re not careful.) • Withdrawing in awkward silence when words are needed (cf. Job 2:13 for a place where silence first helped, then words hurt). Pointing to the Ultimate Comforter • Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted.” • Isaiah 66:13: “As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you.” • John 11:35: Jesus wept with those mourning Lazarus, showing divine empathy. Earthly comforters matter, yet our aim is to usher hurting friends into the arms of the One who never fails. Taking It Home Recognize distress, ask caring questions, address practical and spiritual needs, and continually point to the Lord’s faithful love. By following Elkanah’s lead—while refining his approach through the fuller counsel of Scripture—we become instruments of the comfort God so graciously pours into us. |
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