1Sam. 12:23 Take your hurts to God in prayer
When we feel rejected by others, our reaction reveals the depth of our prayer life. We can enter into pity party mode and pout alone, go to God in prayer, or demonstrate in attitude and behavior how close we are to the throne of God.
When the people realized their error, they came to Samuel and asked him to continue to pray for them. Although Samuel felt the sting of rejection by the people, his heart was comforted by God, bringing us to a second thing to learn about Samuel. As hurt as he was, he did not pass that feeling on to the people. He had a choice, and those same choices are before us. We can respond in bitterness with caustic remarks, or we can pray. Is prayer such a part of our character that our response remains steadfast when offended or rejected?
As Samuel heard the people, he knew that no healing would happen apart from prayer. And further, if he did not pray, he would be in sin. Thus he responded: “As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you!” [1Sam. 12:23]