Prayer Therapy

Prayer Therapy

“Hannah was bitter and prayed to the Lord and wept severely.”

I Samuel 1:10 “So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was not sad as before.” I:18 

No other person in Bible reveals the therapy of prayer like Hannah.

Who is Hannah?

          She is a wife of man named Elkanah who has two wives. Hannah is barren which was considered not being blessed by the Lord. She is grieved over this and goes to the Temple to pray to God. In 10 verses she goes from pain bitter to better, from sour to sweet – and the only thing she did to see this change was – pray.

Why is this in the Bible? When we are in pain or suffering we have two choices – carry our pain and be pitied or be changed through the therapy of prayer.  

“As she was praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah was speaking in her heart. Her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.” Vs 12-13

Many ways to pray. Sometimes it is best not to pray out loud so the enemy cannot hear.

She answered Eli: “No my lord, I am a woman of sorrow. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.”  Vs 15

Ill. Have you ever poured out your soul to God. Like going to a counselor and you talk and He listens until you are done. You can carry the weight of your sorrow or pour out your heart until you have no more words to say.

Some points about prayer:

1.    Prayer requires no special training or methods. There are spoken prayers and unspoken. There is praying with the mind but also praying in unknown tongues.

2.    Prayer releases our tensions to God.

As we pour out our heart (prayer), God pours in His grace to heal.

3.    Somehow prayer is used by God to change us. Mysteriously somehow God revealed to Hannah that God was working.

“Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”  Vs 18

What happened? She prayed to God outwardly and He healed her inwardly. In chapter 2 she has a baby boy and names him Samuel and chapter 2 is her song of praise to God. Read verse 1-4.

“The bows of the mighty are broken, but those who stumbled are girded with strength.” I Sam. 2:4

She is talking about how she stumbled but the Lord gave her strength!

How?

When she poured out herself before the Lord God filled her with himself.

·       Pain and tears are a normal part of this life.

·       Prayer is God’s therapy available to anyone.

·       We are to turn our pain into prayer.

·       If you don’t pour out your heart your life becomes weighted.