(Matthew 6:4 NLT) “Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

(Matthw 6:6 NLT) “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

(Matthew 6:16-18 NLT) “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

(1 Samuel 1:2 NLT) Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

(1 Samuel 1:5-20 NLT) And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children.6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

8 “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

9 Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. 10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.

12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. 13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

15“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.

17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

18“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, 20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

How Do I Honor God In My….

· Love

(Matthew 22:37-39 NLT) Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

· Life

(Romans 12:1 NLT) And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

· Lifestyle

(Colossians 3:17 NLT) And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Questions for Further Reflection

* What stood out to you in this message? What will you take with you?

· Faith When No One’s Watching. Jesus talks a lot about what we do in private—praying, giving, seeking God. What helps you stay connected to God during the week when there’s no church service or group around you? What makes that difficult sometimes?

· Hannah’s Honest Conversation With God. Hannah didn’t clean up her emotions—she poured her heart out to God just as she was. When life is heavy, how do you usually talk to God—or do you tend to hold back? What encourages or challenges you about Hannah’s example?

· Being Misunderstood but Still Trusting God. Hannah was misunderstood by the priest, yet she kept praying and trusted God anyway. Have you ever felt misunderstood while going through something hard? How did that affect your faith, if at all?

· Honoring God in Real Life. We talked about honoring God with our love, our life, and our lifestyle. Which one feels easiest for you right now—and which one feels hardest? What’s one small step you could take this week to honor God in that area?