Monday's Marriage Moment -- We Are Not on the Same Page!

Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
-1 Samuel 1:8

If you have followed my blog or Believing Wives Facebook page, you know that this is our year of agreement! I've devoted this whole month to focusing on how we can get into agreement with God and with our spouse. Agreement is my focus, and I believe it is God's best for us wholeheartedly, but I would be lying if I did not admit that there are times when we will not be on the same page with our spouse. There will be times when you are thinking one thing and they are thinking another. There will be times when your perspectives are different. There will be times when you totally misunderstand each other.

A great example is found in 1Samuel chapter 1. Here we find Hannah and her husband Elkanah. I could discuss the fact that there is another wife in the picture, Peninnah, who complicates the situation, but that is not the focus of our discussion today. Hannah desires a baby, specifically a son. At this point, she is unable to conceive. She is barren and broken, and her husband doesn't understand her pain. Her asks her in verse 8, "am I not better to you than ten sons?" He thinks that he should be enough fore her. He doesn't understand the pain she is feeling or the emptiness in her heart. He doesn't understand what it is like to be tormented by Peninnah, who is able to have her husband's children. He just doesn't get it. They are not on the same page.

Hannah could do a lot of things, but I think it is important to note what she doesn't do. She doesn't spend time fussing with Elkanah about the fact that he doesn't get it. She doesn't continue to try to make him understand (which is something I have been guilty of more than I care to admit). She doesn't lock herself in her room and refuse to talk to him. She doesn't call him names or insult his manhood.

She takes her concerns to God. She seems to get that Elkanah doesn't have the answer. I'm sure she wished that he understood, but she also accepted that he didn't. So she took her cares, her concerns, her hurt, and her pain to the One who could do something about it. The bible says that she poured her heart out to God to the point that the priest thought she was drunk (vs. 12 - 14). In the end, God granted her requested. She received the baby she so desperately prayed for.

I pray this week that we take a page out of Hannah's book. Let's learn not to fuss and fight when we are not on the same page with our spouse. Instead, let's take our concerns to God. I truly believe that her response of peace and love played a role in her receiving the promise!