By: Chaunte McClure

I always find it interesting when I’m invited to preach for a Mother’s Day worship service. I don’t have children, although I do have quite a few who are special to me. I accepted the invitation and when I was meditating and thinking about what my message will be on Sunday, Hannah, Elkanah’s wife, came to mind. She longed to be a mother, but was barren for many years. She prayed that God would change her situation and give her a son.

Mother’s Day is well celebrated to honor moms and maternal bonds. On Sunday, my Facebook timeline will be flooded with public statements of thanks to moms and photos of Mother’s Day gifts. Historically, that’s what typically happens; and we ought to honor mothers.

I kept thinking about the sons, daughters, moms or even husbands who are struggling. Struggling? Yes, the mom who is struggling with caring for a sick child. The child who is struggling because mom is deceased, ill, absent, unattached or unavailable. The mom who has lost a child or whose child has made poor choices. The husband whose wife, the mother of his children, is no longer here. What is the message for those parishioners with these struggles? Here’s what came to mind: The struggle is not greater than your God. It’s a message that is relevant even for the mom who doesn’t have any of the aforementioned issues because the demands of motherhood alone are sometimes a struggle.

Hannah’s story exemplifies hope in the struggle, strength in faith, and the power to overcome affliction. This Mother’s Day, it is my prayer that the principles and applications gleaned from Hannah’s story will offer hope and encouragement to anyone who might be facing difficulty. Read Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel and remember, your struggle is not greater than your God.