Bad Girls of the Bible

Peninnah: the Cruel

Counterpart

1 Samuel 1

Peninnah Provoked

– Peninnah’s Pain• Shared husband (1 Sam. 1:2)• Hannah’s double portion (1 Sam. 1:5)

– How our feelings direct our actions• Provoked Hannah (v. 6)• Tormented severely (v. 6)• Continued year after year (v. 3)• Made Hannah miserable, with tears

and loss of appetite (v. 6-7)

God’s Evaluation

– Kindness• Be kind to one another! (Eph. 4:32)• Kindness benefits, cruelty hurts (Prov. 11:17)

– Rudeness• Lead a peaceful and quiet life (1 Tim. 2:2)• Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)

– Words that Harm• Tongue is a fire (James 3:6)• What comes out of our mouths can defile

(Matt. 15:11)• Only use words to build up! (Eph. 4:29)• No filthiness, foolish talk or crude joking (Eph.

5:4)

Hannah’s Response

– Initial Emotional Outpouring• Miserable (1 Sam. 1:6)• Weeping, tears of anguish (1 Sam. 1:6-

8, 10)• Stopped eating (1 Sam. 1:6-8)• Bitterness of soul (1 Samuel 1:10)

– Turned to God for Comfort• Prayed to the Lord (v. 10)• Promised the Lord (v. 11)• Trusted the Lord’s response (v. 18)• Gave thanks for Lord’s blessing (v. 26-

27)

Lessons For Us from Miriam’s Example

– Do we allow our emotions to direct our interactions with others?

– Are we allowing the bad behavior of others to direct our own actions?

– How easy is it for us to give our problems over to the Lord, and then trust Him to do what is best for our situations?

– When the Lord has answered our prayers, how faithful are we to return to Him in grateful praise?