1S1-8: Do You Carry Around A Deep-seated Guilt In Your Soul For Your Past Sins?

I wonder if you can relate to this…

Whenever something bad happens in your life, do you feel guilty and think your misfortune occurred because of some sin you committed earlier in your life?

I dunno about you but whenever some tragedy strikes…

For instance, if I come down with some illness…

Or a business deal I was counting on to bring in some much needed cash goes south…

It’s like there’s this deep-seated guilt in my soul that says this bad luck is happening because of my past deeds.

After all doesn’t the Scripture say “You shall reap what you sow”?

However, you know what can be really frustrating?

It’s not having any idea which sin I’m being punished for if indeed I am being punished for some specific sin.

Is it because of my past porno binges?

Is it because of how I treated others in the past including family members?

Or is it because of some other past transgression I’ve totally forgotten about?

The reason I bring this up is because it greatly ties in with Hannah’s situation and her not being able to provide children for her husband.

I think us modern folks have no idea just how much pain and humiliation Hannah was experiencing.

In those days, a woman’s role in life was to bear children…period.

So not being able to fulfill that basic function made her less than a woman in ancient middle eastern society.

And if the woman’s husband wasn’t rich enough to have a second wife, without a son that meant he had no heir for his property and his life essence would end when he died.

This was a nightmare scenario for any man during Bible times. 

And he would blame it all on his wife.

Plus what made matters even worse was that the village ladies would make fun of Hannah and sometimes outright insult her because she was barren.

It wasn’t a pretty situation for Hannah.

As I pointed out yesterday, Hannah understood and accepted her current state was God’s doing.

The aged Naomi in the book of Ruth also expressed the same attitude in response to her poverty-stricken circumstances.

But what frustrated and baffled Hannah was not knowing WHY God put her in this situation?

Was it because of some unknown sin she had committed in the past?

Or did God simply have His own good reasons for closing Hannah’s womb that He decided to not disclose? 

Since we’re not given enough information, we can’t say for sure either way.

Now I don’t really have some crystal clear takeaway popping into my mind for today’s post.

Except to ask you, can you relate to Hannah’s situation in some way?

Are you facing some challenge in your life that causes you to cry out to God and ask Him why He did this to you?

Do you suffer from a deep-seated guilt in your soul that your current situation is because of some sin you committed?

If you do, know you’re not alone.

Because Hannah felt the same way.

And millions of people all around the world who are struggling with one issue or another in their lives also feel the same way.

Actually, you know what?

A takeaway for today did just come to me!

Here’s what it is:

No matter what your situation in life…

Whether you’re rich or poor or in-between…

Whether you’re a man or a woman…

Know that when you turn to the Scriptures, you can surely find a Bible character who has been through what you’re going through…

And felt your pain…

In other words, the Scriptures can empathize with you and your situation on every level.

Be blessed!