"For I know the plans I have for you" says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11
God has plans for each and everyone of us. His plan is a complete package made up of a lot of stuffs. He has a plan for your breakthrough, ministry, salvation, prosperity and your life in general.
In His plans, he has infuse a lot of things such as personalities and circumstances. God has everything worked out and he has designed how all would be sorted out to the last step.
God's plan is bigger than we expected and so sometimes we wonder in awe when certain things happens in our lives. We tend to ask a lot of questions but one thing we have to realize is that it is all part of His plans.
Where you were born and the family you were born into is all part of his plans. God knows why you are an African, American or Asian and in his plans skin color is not a hindrance to the outcome of the plans.
You are therefore not a mistake. Its a plan.
God uses a lot of personalities to execute his plans and one of those personalities are our ENEMIES
Our enemies play a very vital role in our lives that if we do not have them, it would be difficult for God to glorify us.
THE STORY
"On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. So Peninnah taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same- Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat". 1Sam 1:4-7
Peninnah became Hannah's enemy and a torn in her flesh. She ridiculed, mocked, insulted and disgraced Hannah for her inability to give birth.
Even though Hannah was the first wife, Peninnah maltreated her to the lowest level. She did not hide her actions from Hannah making her aware that she was a disgrace to womanhood, just because Hannah was barren.
But God strategically positioned Peninnah in Hannah's life for a purpose.
Reading the scriptures carefully, you will observe that Hannah was tormented by this woman for several years-year after year.
You can therefore imagine the emotional torture, psychological instability and social stigmatization that Hannah went through in the hands of her rival.
And the worse part of it all was that both were living in the same house and shares the same compound. It might be terrible. To some extent Hannah fell sick and she couldn't eat. That should tell you how difficult her enemy made life for her.
Hannah could not do away with her enemy but God used her enemy to sort things out for her. Her enemy was part of God's plan.
Peninnah was there for a reason.
WHAT ROLE DID PENINNAH PLAYED IN HANNAH'S LIFE?
1.SHE PUSHED HANNAH TO THE LIMIT
1Sam 1:9-11
"Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray.......Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. And she made this vow."O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you".
Hannah prayed because she was in deep anguish according to the scriptures. She wouldn't have prayed if her enemy had not placed her in that position.
For year after year Hannah never prayed while her enemy continued to humiliate her. For year after year Hannah has been going to Shiloh but never went to pray. She would go there and eat her portion of the meat of sacrifice given to her and go back to her homeland.
But God used Peninnah to push Hannah into constant prayers, to the extent of making a vow, just imagine. That tells you how angry and ambitious she was to change her barreness into fruitfulness.
God uses our enemies to push us into taking actions to change our situations that we are not used to doing.
Sometimes Christians finds it very reluctant to pray and God uses our enemies to change that attitude.
Hannah would one day thank her enemy for all the atrocities she did to her.
Your enemy is indeed helping you.
1Sam 1:19,20
"Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the LORD remember her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel for she said, I asked the Lord for him"
And who made Hannah to ask of the Lord, it was her enemy. If she had not asked the Lord in prayer, she would have never given birth.
Our enemies are there to push us into doing the right thing, making the right decisions and taking the right steps towards our victory.
Do you think God will remember you because your enemies are maltreating you or disgracing you? He will only remember you when those unwanted treatments pushes you to pray and ask Him to change the situation.
Your situation will change when you PRAY.
James 5:16
"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results"
2.HANNAH NEDED HER PRESENCE
Sometimes the pressure and opposition from our enemies becomes too unbearable that we sometimes pray that they die and leave us alone. But if God was to listen to that prayer and kills our enemies, then there would be a great problem. Let us see why.
Psalm 23:5
"You [God] prepare a feast (table) for me in the presence of my enemies".
Beloved I want you to learn something today that God will never prepare a table for you in the presence of your loved ones and well wishers.
Sometimes as believers, we have to know how God our Father operates and seek His face based on the principles on which He works and this is one of them.
So if you want your enemies to die then God can not prepare a table for you. That's why I said thank your enemies.
Hannah never prayed for the death of her enemies but she prayed for what God will use to prepare her a table in the presence of her enemy-Peninnah
God prepared a table for Joseph in the presence of his enemies -brothers
My friend tell whoever is your enemy to do his/her best to plot against you whiles you also do your very best to pray earnestly and at the end, you will thank them.
Sometimes the pain would be unbearably that you weep like a child but be rest assured that;
"weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Ps 30:5
Do not let your enemies push you to commit suicide but let their torments leads them to your feast.
If you are able to do that, then you will say THANK YOU MY ENEMY
God bless you for reading
@henryyeboah#steemchurch GHANA