Why Do Others Subconsciously Harass Us?

 Transcribed by AI

Radio Voice of Life PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ PYM JBZ Almighty God can accept a sacrifice. There were also two sons of Eli named Hophni and Phinehas who were priests of the Lord.

Whenever Eli offered a sacrifice, he would give a portion of the meat to his wife Peninnah and a portion to each of his sons and daughters. But to Hannah, he would give a double portion because he loved her more, even though the Lord had closed Hannah's womb and she had no children.

Peninnah, her rival, would provoke her and irritate her. This happened every year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would mock her and make her cry, and as a result, Hannah would not eat.

Her husband asked her, "Why are you weeping? Why aren’t you eating? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

One day, when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up and went to the temple of the Lord. Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple.

Hannah was in deep anguish, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, "O Lord Almighty, if you will look upon 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, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

Hannah replied, "Not so, my lord. I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.

Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

Hannah said, "May your servant find favour in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah's longing for a child is so important for us to learn this lesson. Why do others unknowingly cause us pain? Hannah is an example of faith and trust in God, as written in the Scriptures.

The story we read about her is a chapter that is so poignant. Hannah was barren for years, and this was a great source of suffering for her. These women became wives but did not become mothers. They have pain in their hearts. Yet we see many women who even suffer from barrenness.

It is a pain that they themselves do not have children. But there is another pain that their husbands give them, asking, "Why do you not bear children?" They are made to feel like less of a woman. The whole family makes her feel this pain. Completely.

In the pain, she might think, "What should I do to have children?" Perhaps in her pain, she turns to God. But she thinks about those who mock her. They call her barren. Or they call her dry. How hard it is, really.

Especially when we see her husband. But Peninnah sees her and torments her. Yes. But they do not turn away from God. Instead, they go to the house of the Lord and pray with love and humility.

Peninnah was really a rival who was always spiteful. Yes. And in Afghanistan, if someone has children, they even show off. Yes.

But sometimes, we see that hardships and problems bring us closer to God. The more they hurt, the more they cry, they draw nearer to the Lord.

And with all their hearts, they cry out to God. Yes. To serve you, Lord, we present her to you.

Her prayer was so deep that her lips were moving alone. Yes. Even her voice was not heard. We can see faith and trust in her in several ways.

The first is that she sought refuge in God instead of despair. Yes. She was willing to give back the dearest gift she had received from God. She was fulfilling the promise she had made. Yes. And this shows that her goal was not just to have children.

Yes. But to have will and trust in God. After the priest Eli blessed her, she went away in peace.

And dear listeners, we see that her face was no longer sad like it used to be when she came to the temple of worship year after year. Yes. She was going back home with joy and happiness.

Yes. Even though her prayer had not yet been answered, her face was radiant. It is time for you to consider how much trust you have in God.

And that is why others unknowingly hurt and torment us. Your trust and faith in the Holy God, the Almighty God, is as it is written in the Scriptures.

It is recorded. It is in the book that there is only one book and one true God. May you hold on to it. And when you pray, may your trust and faith be strong.

Yes. And in the end, God answered her prayer and gave her a son. As verse 19 says, the next morning they arose and worshipped before the Lord and then went back to their home in Ramah.

Eli lay with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered Hannah’s prayer. After a while, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the Lord for him." Amen.

How beautiful it is, dear listeners, that even the name of her son was not chosen by her whim, but according to what she had said in prayer. His name Samuel truly brought glory to God.

This shows that Hannah fulfilled her promise to the Lord. There are many times we think that the blessings come to Samuel and come to Hannah.

It points out how many Afghan women are in the most difficult hardships during the time of the Taliban, in despair, without hope, and if they are hopeful, with what God, with what trust, do they truly believe?

From the perspective of faith, us Christians, our hope in Jesus Christ does not mean that hardships will cease immediately. Dear listener, Hannah had endured for many years; her suffering did not end quickly, and this does not mean that God leaves you alone, but rather, God is with us in our hardships and pains.

In fact, during a time when a woman could not have children, it was a disgrace in society to see a woman without children. It wasn't just Hannah who was mocked; others were also ridiculed for their sorrow and cries.

But dear listeners, we truly see that if we have faith in God, if we believe in Jesus Christ, if we trust in God, above all things that we have faith in, the Lord is with us in all our pains, our sufferings, our hardships, and our miseries.

Because dear listeners, we say why others hurt and torment us and this shows how much Hannah suffered, yet she had strong faith.

Dear listener, do not be discouraged today. Our message to you is that if you are being tormented, if you are facing unjust judgments, speak all of it in the presence of the Almighty God, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ says in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

So dear listener, today if you are burdened, if you see you are being tormented, if you endure any pain, the arms of Jesus Christ are open for you, where there is peace, where there is comfort.

God hears the cries of those who pray with broken hearts. Today, you may wish to also have a son.

But just as Hannah trusted God in the midst of her sorrow and barrenness, you too should trust God in such difficult times.

Our hope as believers is not that we deny our pains. Believe that in the hardest of circumstances, the only thing that brings us peace, that allows us to continue our path, is our trust in the Lord.

We pray for all the sisters, dear mothers in Afghanistan, and indeed, we hope that the story of Hannah from the Scriptures reflects your pains.

He is even willing not to leave you alone in the most difficult of pains and hardships. Let us look at several verses from the Word of God that guide us, where it says, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad."

Dear listeners, we see that even in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 44, it says, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Amen.

How beautiful are these words, what a message God gives us. Jesus Christ leads us, dear listener, towards righteousness.

He teaches us through the Word that He is alive and changes our lives. So dear listener, today wherever you are, I hope you find comfort in hearing this programme about why others unknowingly cause us pain and torment.

Let us present everything in the presence of God. Let us forget the past. If you are a woman, if you are a man, if you are young, if you are in youth, if you are in old age, if at any age you have been wounded by the unknowing hurt of others, let us forgive.

Forgive your enemies. Pray for your enemies. And this prayer of blessing is for life. This prayer is what opens the door of mercy for you.

In the true God that Jesus Christ has described for us in this challenge. When you obey, the Lord hears your prayers, hears your cries and answers.

Amen, Amen. Once again, dear listener, we hope that you have been blessed by this programme. Do not forget the verse from the Scriptures that we read from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 44.

Always hold on to the parts of the Word of God that advise us. Until next time, we commend you to the one true God.

The God who is a healer, the God who comforts, the God who is always beside you, we commend you. Goodbye to you.

Music: "In the midst of these hardships, I come to you like a thirsty deer in the desert. My soul thirsts for you, O my God. Joys and healing are found only in Jesus. Forgiveness of sin is only in Jesus. My hope, my salvation is only in your name, Jesus."