When You’re Grateful But Still Hurting | Hannah Sermon Series | John Giftah

0:01 Speaker 1: Do you ever look around and think, Wow, the world is a crazy place and it just seems to get crazier and crazier. Ease your mind and take a break. This is Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We're a hub for inspirational Christian sermons, practical keys for Christian living, in Christian discussions and interviews. You'll be inspired to live the life that you were created for. Your host is a top ranking podcaster, best selling author, world record holder, aerospace engineer, life coach, evangelist and founder of John Gifta International.

0:41 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta.

0:46 Speaker 2: Hello everyone, Welcome to this solution of the Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta podcast. All through this week, we're going to look at various lessons that we can take away from the life of Hannah, especially revolving around for Samuel Chapter one. Last week was my birthday, and as I was just thinking and pondering and introspecting how the Lord has led me the last so many years, there was one thing that just struck me because on one side, I was filled with gratitude. I was just looking at my life and seeing how the Lord had made away where there seemed to be no way, how the Lord had showed up in unexpected places, How the Lord was faithful in so many areas.

1:25 Speaker 2: And I was filled with that gratitude where I've said, Lord, thank you for the way you led me, thank you for the way you were so kind to me, thank you for the way you showed up and you proved your word to be true and through my life. But as I was thinking about that side, I was also pondering and thinking about areas where I've been praying and asking the Lord to show up for a long period of time. There are some areas where I've been praying and the doors have been shut for many, many years. For some areas, there are no answers to those prayers.

1:58 Speaker 2: And I'm like God, I'm filled with gratitude on one side, but I'm also filled with grief on the other. And sometimes we as Christians think that you can only be on one laide. You have to be in that mode of gratitude where you have no pain, You're always filled with that sense of yes, my God is good, my God is faithful. We think that is the lane that we as Christians should travels in. And some people go into the other mode where they are filled with that sense of grief and looking at only the negatives.

2:31 Speaker 2: Even if there are one hundred and twenty seven things right going in their life, they look at that one thing that is not going fine, and they are filled with that grief. And that's when I was reminded of something very powerful when you look at the life of Hannah, because you have to understand, Hannah was a very special girl in the world of God. And one of the things that really caught my attention was that those she was barren or spin loved her. Her husband was so kind to her. She had a very healthy and good relationship with her husband.

3:08 Speaker 2: In fact, the scripture talks about in First Samuel, chapter one, verse five, that he gave her a special portion whenever he went to the place of worship and sacrifice, he gave her a special portion. He gave her. In some translations it says a double portion compared to her rival wife Pinanaya Pinaya, right, I just mispronounced her name. But here's the thing. She got special attention from her husband. She was, you know, treated really well by her husband, who loved her a lot and who was there for her, stood by her.

3:45 Speaker 2: He was not against her, but she had a deep pain where she was longing to have her own child. Now, you may be in that place where you're filled with gratitude that you have a wonderful spouse, You're filled with gratitude that you have a blessed family. You're filled with gratitude that you have a really high paying job. You're filled with gratitude that you have a satisfying life in certain area of your life. But you're still filled with that grief or that pain where some area feels like nothing is happening, some area feels incomplete.

4:21 Speaker 2: You're having that longing, that desire, but it's just not working out. You know, when I look at my life as a Christian single, this is something that always comes back to me, especially when I think about birthdays every year and I'm like, oh my gosh, God, I'm grateful for your blessing over my life in terms of the blessed family, or I'm grateful for my job the way you're led the ministry in this many years. But God, in this area as a Christian single waiting that the Lord will bring the right person into my life, there is that desire.

4:55 Speaker 2: There is that longing. But God, I feel like there's no answer in this area. So you can be filled with gratitude for all the blessings and still fully filled with grief for the longings, the areas where you're still longing for God to show up. It's completely fine. Don't think that, Oh, I have to be in one lane or the other. No, you can have this place where you're saying, God, Yes, I'm thanking you for this blessing. I am grateful with all my heart for showing up. I am so filled with this attitude of gratitude for all of these amazing things that you have done, for answering my prayers, for showing up, for doing these miracles, for the way You're led my life in this many years.

5:47 Speaker 2: But God, I'm still waiting on you to answer this prayer. I'm still waiting on you for a miracle in this area. I'm still waiting on you for this longing to be satisfied in my case with praying that the right person will step in, or praying that the miracle of the ministry would take off to another level. Or you may be praying, like you said, just similar to Hannah. You have a wonderful spouse who loves you, cherishes you, but you're still longing for a child. Or you may be saying, oh, I have a wonderful child, I'm grateful for it, but my job is so toxic that I'm not able to enjoy my child.

6:26 Speaker 2: You may be having one area that you're grateful for and another that you are really struggling with, but that is part of life. That is something that you have to come to terms and say, God, I'm just being myself before you. I don't want to act like everything is fine when I'm still struggling in a certain area. I don't want to pretend that I'm not struggling in certain areas. I don't want to pretend or hide in certain areas of my life. At the same time, I don't want to be so caught up with what's not working that I'm not grateful for what is working well in my life.

7:12 Speaker 2: Sometimes we can be so focused on what's left, what left us, or we can be so focused on what's not right that we miss out on all that's right in our life. And I challenge you today to have that attitude where you say God, just like Hannah, I want to come before you because We're going to look at various lessons in the coming days, But come to that place where you say, Lord, I want to come to you. Because she comes to the Lord, she prays, she cries, you can come to the Lord saying God, I am grateful at the same time, I'm filled with grief in this area, and I know that you are the one who can help me deal with these things and fulfill the purpose that you have in stuff for me.

7:58 Speaker 2: Amen. I really tell you to leave a comment if you're checking this out on YouTube of Facebook and share this with someone and I will see you back next time. God bless you.

8:08 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We hope you were blessed and inspired to live the life that God has for you. Make sure to subscribe to the John Gifta YouTube channel for regular uploads of sermons, skits, interviews, and more. Follow John Gifta on Instagram for regular inspirational posts, and don't forget to check out the best selling books written by John Gifta, Who Am I which will help you understand your identity and the latest number one best seller Unveil your Purpose, helping you discover your purpose and to start walking in it.

8:43 Speaker 1: Make sure to leave a rating and review, and be sure to share it with your friends and loved ones. If you'd like to donate, you can find the PayPal link in the description, and if you'd like to invite John Gifta to speak at your event or to get more details, go to the website at www God John gifted dot com. See you on the next episode of The Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. God bless you