We live in a world full of sadness. Each day people get sick and die. People lose jobs or precious possessions. Each day people wake up to a world full of sin and chaos. People wake up each day without Jesus. While our trials are new every day, they are not new to the world and certainly not new to the Father in Heaven. If we look back in scripture we find many of the women who served God so faithfully had lives full of sadness and pain, yet each day they continued to serve God. And it was in their service to the Lord that they found joy again.
Sarah lived ninety years without a son. However after ninety years of living in service to God and Abraham, Sarah was finally blessed with a child.
Ruth had lost her husband, her brother-in-law, and father-in-law. Not only did she have the emotional pain of losing so many that she loved, but she now had the difficult circumstances of facing a life of extreme poverty and death. However, because of her hard work and loyalty to those around her, others noticed and soon Ruth lived a life full of joy.
Abigail married Nabal, a man “full of folly” and a husband who drank too much. Despite the horrible actions of her husband, Abigail continuously chose to do the right thing. She treated others with the love and respect her husband had forgotten. Her kind and generous ways brought her recognition from David who later sought her to be his wife after her first husband had died.
Hannah was tormented by Peninnah to the point that she could not get out of bed. Peninnah had teased her and made fun of her for not having a child. Still Hannah prayed and trusted in the Lord. When the Lord did bless Hannah with a child, instead of using her son to get back at Peninnah, she gave him to the service of the Lord. Now she is one of the most remarkable women of scripture.
Rahab had given her life over to prostitution. But when the time came to choose God or death, she chose God even during great uncertainty. The change she made in her life was honored by helping her become one of the mothers in the lineage of Christ.
Every single one of these women have dealt with sadness and hopelessness not unlike the sadness of today. They still chose to serve God, and God blessed them beyond anything they had imagined. Choosing to serve God today in the light of difficult circumstances, may not bring us the fortune that the women of the Old Testament garnered. It may not erase the sadness that the world has to offer. But we have hope in this promise, that those who obey God and His word and live a faithful life have the assurance of Heaven and a life with Him. There is not anything on Earth that can compare to the grandeur of that promise. So while we are here struggling through the daily snares of life, we have hope in a future with Him. Just like God blessed the women of ancient times, God will bless us. His promises are forever.
–Christa Bryant