"Provoke Produces Purpose!”

1 Samuel 1:6-7, “Hannah’s rival provoked her bitterly, to irritate and embarrass her, because the Lord had left her childless. So it happened year after year, whenever she went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah provoked her; so she wept and would not eat.” (AMP)

                                            

Certain people stoke the fires within you to be all you can be. When you find them, feed off them! Because, when you have little or no water in your own well, you’ll be able to draw it from theirs.

For example, Elisha spent years living in Elijah’s ‘shadow’. But he saw it as a privilege, not a put-down! If only we had leaders today who felt the same way. You see, he was willing to serve in any capacity, and because of it, he would experience first-hand some of the greatest miracles in history! As a result, Elisha said to Elijah, “I want a double portion of the spirit that’s at work in you.” (2 Kings 2:9). And before his life was over, Elisha worked twice as many miracles as Elijah!

You see, everybody gets a blueprint of what they are to build for God—but you can’t build it without help!

Warning: Unlike Elijah and Elisha, sometimes that help won’t be user-friendly!

Just look at Hannah, Elkanah’s wife. God used Peninnah, who was married to the same man, but able to bear him children. The more Hannah saw Peninnah have children, the more she wanted her own. But if you stop here, you’ll be under the impression, that Peninnah was cruel, abused Hannah, and Hannah took it and went in a corner, licking her wounds in silence. And that couldn’t be further from the truth!

Truth is: Peninnah challenged Hannah and gave her the necessary pressure to provoke her to pray effectively!

“Hannah...pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary… Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried-inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, God...if you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to You. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely. Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. He approached her and said, “You’re drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!” Hannah said, “Oh no, sir – please! I’m a woman hard used. I haven’t been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I’ve been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God. Don’t for a minute think I’m a bad woman. It’s because I’m so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I’ve stayed here so long. Eli answered her, “Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him.” Think well of me – and pray for me!” she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant. Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, “I asked God for him.” (1 Samuel 1:9-20 MSG)

Now, what’s so amazing about this story is, the one who taunted and provoked her, Hannah never even dealt with! Not once did Hannah mention Peninnah or her provocation. And that’s the problem with us, church folks, we haven’t learned how to fight the right way! Peninnah’s name never even comes up! Like Jacob with God, Hannah wrestled with God, not with Peninnah! This was about warfare in the Spirit, not rolling eyes in the Flesh! The result, after Hannah’s wrestle with God she produced a son, Prophet Samuel. After Jacob’s wrestle, he received a new name! “...Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it’s Israel (God-Wrestler); you’ve wrestled with God and you’ve come through.” (Genesis 32:28) Wrestling always produces something better! Despite what a caterpillar looks like when it enters its cocoon phase, when the metormorphosis is complete, the butterfly will break its way out of bondage, flap its wings and transform from crawling to soaring! At just the appropriate time the butterfly will realize I can’t flap my wings from in here, so it’s time to break out of this! 

With that said, I should mention Peninnah’s name means “Pearl”. Unlike precious jewels developed in the heat and pressure of the earth, Pearls are formed in troubled waters! In essence, trouble is the core of every Pearl! See, the oyster must open itself up to take in food and rid itself of waste. When a pebble, a grain of sand, or a parasite gets inside the shell, the oyster secretes a calcium carbonate mineral substance around the troubling intruder. Layers of the calcium substance are wrapped around it until the irritating matter inside the oyster is completely covered, forming a smooth Pearl. Therefore, keep in mind: Pearls are produced through troubling, irritating provocation so that’s all your “Peninnah” knows and all she does! So stop crying over her and realize her provocation is designed to help you produce something of value!

              

I understand the gossip and rumors and lies hurt; but it’s helping you. 

I understand the backstabbing and backbiting hurt; but it’s helping you; 

I understand that the friend has turned enemy, but it’s helping you; 

I understand that they up and left and walked away and broke your heart, and still I say, it’s helping you.

I know their motives, intentions and private agendas were all designed for your destruction; and still I promise you, as bad as it's hurting you; it's helping you for your good!

Often, many of us only became better, after we were broken. And it was our Peninnah that helped us! So stop trying to get rid of Peninnah! She has a job to do and it’s to help you press into prayer even in the midst of your pain, because your pain is pregnant with purpose and will produce a valuable possession! And little does Peninnah know, but she’s your midwife, like it or not!

Do I share this out of theological knowledge? Absolutely not. My own personal testimony includes my own personal Peninnah.

You see, although me and my husband have 6 children collectively, we both wanted one child ‘together’. My hearts’ desire after 2 girls was to have a little boy. After several years of struggle and 2 miscarriages, one of which happened the same day his ex-wife gave birth to a son, literally brought me to the brink of depression, not to mention a ‘why not me?’ attitude towards God. I felt like, God I finally got it right! I’m married, we’re both saved and in ministry, so ‘why not me?’ I felt as though God was driving a sharp thorn in my side, when his ex-wife gave birth to her son on the same day I left the hospital, through the maternity ward, with no baby of my own. When she brought her son to the house to see the family, it felt like mockery. And when my sister-in-law agreed to babysit, it felt like a knife in the heart. Anger and bitterness took root and I had no intentions of letting either of them go. And just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, the doctors told me I had to have a surgery that would sap the last of my hopes of having another baby. However, I eventually became a god-mommy. And although I was happy, the voices kept talking and taunting, ‘this is as close as you’ll ever get to producing another child, nothing more” Believe me when I tell you, there’s no worse sound than demonic mockery. But the day of my god-daughter’s christening, as I stood at the altar, I heard God say: ‘All you were supposed to birth in the natural you have, now it’s time to birth spiritual children.’ That day I was healed and made whole. From that day I saw his ex-wife only as she is, ‘My Personal Peninnah’, one who served with the sole purpose of provoking me to birth what He promised!

Now, did that come easy? Absolutely not. It took many years in between all of that to seek God and to trust Him again. I had to rebuild my faith in God and my trust in His process of doing things on my behalf.

But truth is, my prayer life soared and achieved new heights and depths when this provocation came forth. I poured out day and night to God the hurt, the disappointment, the discouraged, even the anger, bitterness and rage. I poured out my low self-esteem and self-pity. I poured out my true feelings to God, not the eloquent speech we so often do in prayer when things are going well. I had such a Davidic season of prayer. I didn’t dress up anything, I came to God as is, and poured out of me exactly what was in me, with no spiritual façade or mask. And honestly, I had to give all the credit to my Peninnah. I would have never sought God that hard without her. I learned through that process of painful prayer, how to talk to God, how to be honest with God, how to express my heart and hurt. I learned to hear God and to heed God. I learned patience and longsuffering. I learned forgiveness and how to possess the ability to bounce back. I learned to let go. I learned to trust God, His Word, His Will and His Plan and Purpose for my life. I learned to walk by faith. I learned that God keeps His Word. I learned peace, joy and unconditional love. I learned to pray for my enemies. I learned to smile anyhow. I learned to heal, to be whole and to wait. I learned to pray, to endure, to persevere, to overcome, to press forward and to embrace change. I learned to leave the past in the past. I learned that God knows best. And I learned it all from my teacher, Peninnah, who taught me that provocation can produce some great pearls!

Now, for those of you sisters who have been stuck in this painful place for far too long with Peninnah as your prison guard, today is your day of freedom. Which means, I don’t care if your ‘Personal Peninnah’ is on your job, in your family, church, or school, she serves the sole purpose of provoking you to birth something spiritual first, then natural. In other words, when Peninnah provoked Hannah, the son didn’t come forth first, the first thing that came forth was something spiritual—Prayer. When provoked, Hannah didn’t’ take it to Elkanah, or Peninnah, but to God! And that’s half your battle right there. Stop fighting with people, stop confiding in the wrong people, just take it and them to God in prayer!

Now, does that mean everything will be wonderful and work out perfectly because you took it and them to prayer? NOPE! The first thing Hannah encountered after prayer was further provocation! And it came from Leadership! So while she’s taking her issue to God, Eli, the leader, is making an issue with her. He accuses her of being drunk, because she was praying with only her lips moving, but no words coming out. You would think Hannah has been through enough, and indeed she’s going to snap! Peninnah is provoking her, Elkanah provides no defense, and Eli is accusing her, and yet, Hannah never loses her cool! 

Ladies, let that be a lesson to you too! Don’t let people, nor their actions and emotions, pull you out of character, integrity and dignity. Hannah addresses Eli (a whole lot nicer than I know I would have), and she tells him about her struggle. In the end, he wishes her well, and wants her to receive the promise she’s praying for.

However, this was a lot to deal with all at once, and yet Hannah leaves a great example of how to handle provocation, lack of support and pain. She entered into prayer, and then her son (her answered prayer) was produced!

Sisters, we are never exempt from pain, trial, suffering, and even attack, provocation and disappointment. But we must always handle ourselves and others with respect.

Today, celebrate and be thankful for your Peninnah. In the end, she worked for you, not against you!

And after all, people remembered Hannah’s son Prophet Samuel, but did you hear anything about Peninnah’s children?

Amazing things are produced when you allow provocation to run its course!

Matthew 5:10, “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” (MSG)

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BePurposeful

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)