The Prayer of Brokenness

In 1 Samuel 1, we meet Hannah—whose name means “favored,” even though her heart felt anything but favored. Crushed by grief and unable to conceive, Hannah pours out a prayer so raw that Scripture says she prayed “in deep anguish… weeping bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10). And from this prayer of brokenness, God would raise up a man who would shape history—Samuel, who would anoint the king in the lineage of the coming Savior.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef highlights several powerful lessons from Hannah’s prayer:

• God honors brokenhearted prayer—even when it’s painful and messy.
• Silent prayers still reach heaven—Hannah’s lips moved, but no sound came out, because she wasn’t performing for anyone.
• True prayer seeks God, not attention—Hannah wasn’t trying to impress, manipulate, or gain sympathy; she went straight to the only One who can do the impossible.

If you’re carrying heartbreak, unanswered longing, or grief too heavy for words, this devotional is a reminder that God hears “groaning too deep for words”—and He delights to meet you in weakness with His faithful love.

Prayer: Thank You that You are close to the brokenhearted. I bring my brokenness to You today, knowing that in You alone am I made whole. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Scripture Focus: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

This devotional is adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018 (Baker Books), used by permission.
Learn more in Dr. Youssef’s sermon Life-Changing Prayers, Part 5: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 

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