Advent Devotional Dec 21

Week Four: 
Creating Shalom means Making Peace

Wednesday, December 21, 2022
“Letting Go and Letting God” (Hannah, Part 2) – Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life. . . .”  (1 Samuel 1:10-11, NIV)

In the first chapter of Samuel, we hear of Hannah’s great heartache. The struggle for Hannah had gone on for years, and her anguish was deep. Hannah’s only hope was the Lord. Eli encouraged her, and we see that after this, she is changed. Hannah finds peace despite not knowing the outcome of her prayers. Four years later, Hannah’s famous prayer in chapter two is one of praise to a loving, all-knowing God who brings deliverance to His people.

Three years out from my son’s traumatic head injury, I, too, have grieved for years. I find life is a paradox. So much answered prayer as he graduates from high school but also so much loss. I fall on my knees often in thankfulness to God. But on the flip side, I have no inner peace. Grief is always there as a constant companion. In a weird plot twist on this journey, grief has become precious. I know the season of grief is over; the time has come to let go. But I cannot. I am too scared. My peace is robbed, and I think of my great sorrow every day, often multiple times a day. Unlike Hannah, I have not fully given my son to the Lord.

In my story, I clung to grief too long. By not letting go, I was unconsciously choosing to re-live the worst days of my life over and over again. I think that is exactly what the devil does: he makes us replay our worst heartaches repeatedly, and in so doing, we lose our life again. Hannah bravely let go of her grief and, a few short years later, let go again and trusted God with young Samuel. My story and Hannah’s coincide another time in Chapter 2, verse 9, where she reminds us that it is not by strength that we prevail but by faithfulness. I did not have the strength to let go of my grief; it was only by the grace given to me that I could fully let go. “Not by might, not by strength,” but by the graces of God was I able to lay the pain down and find peace again.

Prince of Peace, thank you for being here for all of us this Advent Season. Grant us the courage to let go and trust you with all that comes our way in this rather difficult journey called life. Amen.

Dr. Yaz Johnson
Member, Wesley United Methodist Church, Shawnee, OK
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