“Stop seeking validation in a world that crucified a perfect person.”

Hannah had a huge problem. Elkanah had two wives – Hannah and Peninnah. While Peninnah was pushing out children left and right, Hannah was barren.

We all live in broken bodies. And like us, Hannah didn’t get to choose her body either. Yet, there was an interesting twist to her story: “The LORD closed her womb” (1 Sam. 1:6).

The LORD was behind her lack of children. Maybe He was turning chaos, a broken body that couldn’t produce children, into one that could. Or, she was perfectly healthy but He was holding back children for a specific purpose and time.

We don’t know. But what we do know is that during this entire story, she only sought validation from the One who could do something about it – the LORD. After much patience and prayer, she gave birth to Samuel, a great Israelite prophet and leader, who made the Faith Hall of Fame (Heb.11:32).

Like Hannah, Jesus also only sought validation from the Father (Matt. 3:17) and never from men (Jn. 2:23-25).

We were born into a chaotic world where we didn’t get to choose the family we were born into or the bodies we have. We do have control, however, over the choices we make in the moment. We can either listen to and follow Jesus, the healer of brokenness, validator of existence and giver of a worthwhile purpose to pursue or we can listen to and follow broken people.

You know Who to listen to. Keep choosing wisely.