When You Have a Broken Heart

By Ted Mock

February 11. 2026

1 Samuel 1:8-10 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? 9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

The story of First Samuel begins with a broken-hearted woman. Hannah was a godly woman, a good wife, but she was childless.  More than anything she wanted a child, so much so that she wept and could not be comforted by her husband because of her broken heart.

I have heard it said, and believe it is true, that behind every door is a broken heart.  But what should you do when your heart is broken?  I believe from the story in this chapter a good place to start would be to ask some questions:

    1) What caused your heart to break? (vs.2)

    2) Who controlled the cause? (vs.5) 

    3) Who uses the cause against you? (vs.6,7)

    4) Why do you weep over it? (vs.8)

    5) What can you do about it? (vs.15)

    6) How can you heal from it? (vs.18)

Hannah did the right thing; she poured out her heart to the Lord.  Shortly after 1900, Charles Albert Tindley wrote the hymn, “Leave It There.”  

            Leave it there, leave it there.

            Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there. 

            If you trust and never doubt

            He will surely bring you out

            Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

Reflection – Jesus proclaimed in Luke 4 that He was sent to heal the brokenhearted. Turn to Him – He has the only cure.