Group Check-in

1. What was the best part of your week?
2. What was the most difficult part of your week?

What’s 1 Samuel 1–2:11 About?

1 Samuel opens not with a king or a prophet, but with a woman named Hannah—heartbroken, overlooked, and misunderstood. In a time when Israel was spiritually barren, Hannah’s personal barrenness becomes the soil for a miraculous beginning. Her anguish over being childless leads her not to bitterness, but to bold, desperate prayer. She calls on the Lord of Hosts—the God who fights for His people—and makes a vow to give her child back to God if He answers.

God hears. Samuel is born, and true to her word, Hannah dedicates him to the Lord. But even more powerful than the miracle of Samuel’s birth is Hannah’s response—worship. Her song in chapter 2 isn’t just gratitude—it’s theology, prophecy, and praise wrapped into one. It reveals the heart of a woman who has wrestled with grief and found joy not in circumstances, but in the faithfulness of God.

This opening chapter sets the tone for what’s to come in 1 Samuel and the entire biblical narrative. God sees the humble. He lifts up the lowly. He brings down the proud. He begins His work of renewal not in palaces, but in hearts surrendered to Him. Hannah’s story teaches us that our struggles don’t disqualify us from being used by God—they often prepare us. And her song reminds us that worship can rise even from our wounds. When we give God our first and best—even our most precious gifts—He writes stories that echo through generations.

Key Verse

“My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high.” — 1 Samuel 2:1a

SOAP for the Week

Passage: 1 Samuel 1:9–20

Ice-Breakers

1. If you had to name a kid after any character from a movie, who would it be?
2. What’s the weirdest or most unique family tradition you have?
3. What’s something small you’ve prayed for that ended up making a big difference?

Group Discussion Questions

1. What does Hannah’s example teach us about bringing our raw emotions to God?
2. How does her story challenge how we respond in seasons of pain or waiting?
3. What areas in your life do you struggle to surrender to God’s timing?
4. In what ways has God used someone else’s faithfulness to impact your story?
5. Who is someone you can encourage this week who may feel forgotten or unseen?
6. What step can you take this week to turn a burden into a prayer like Hannah did?

Practical Takeaway

God sees the unseen and hears the unheard. When we bring Him our honest prayers and surrender our plans, He writes stories that ripple into eternity.

Prayer

Father, thank You that You hear the cries we can barely speak. Help us to trust You in our waiting, worship You in our pain, and surrender our future like Hannah did. Use our faithfulness to shape the future in ways we can’t yet see. In Jesus’ name, Amen.