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The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world.
1 Samuel 2:4–8
This prayer of praise is from Hannah, an insignificant woman of rural Palestine over 3,000 years ago. Her problems were infertility and a bad, polygamous marriage. She is dealing with the spite of a second wife who happened to be very fertile. All in all, her problems don’t seem to amount to those of the princes, but they matter a great deal to her. Amazingly, they matter even more to her God, and amazingly, her issues matter eternally. Her vindication, which comes as answered prayer for a child, is God’s interest in the cause of the downtrodden and despised.
Hannah’s cause is her heavenly Father’s cause, and so is yours. Do not despise yourself and believe the lies that your problems do not matter. Your issues at work, your issues with family, and your issues with neighbors are the causes that matter to our God – for no other reason than they matter to you. Take up your cause with Him, and let Him take it up for you.