Trust, Pray, Ask - Chris Pass

A trust exercise opens the message: a blindfolded volunteer follows three rules—never be left, only listen to a single guiding voice, and ask anything. The volunteer walks to the back of the room and returns to the front by following that voice, illustrating how trust works when sight fails and distraction threatens. The core call centers on three verbs: trust, pray, ask. Trust means believing God remains near and listening for the right voice among many competing ones. Prayer becomes the act of hearing and responding to that voice, and asking expresses dependence on God to lead the next steps.

The narrative turns to Hannah from 1 Samuel: barren, anguished, and pouring out a silent, heart-wrenching prayer at the tabernacle. Eli mistakes her silence for drunkenness, yet he blesses her, and God answers the hidden groanings. Hannah dedicates the child given in response to her petition, returning Samuel to the Lord in faith. The account highlights that honest, inward prayer moves God’s heart even when no sound reaches human ears.

An extended analogy compares life’s brokenness to a watch taken to a jeweler. The jeweler understands tiny gears and must open, fix, and return the piece when it’s ready. Similarly, people must leave problems in God’s hands, resisting the urge to reclaim and tinker with them on their own timetable. Patience becomes an act of trust: God works with precision, not haste, and healing or resolution arrives when restored function is complete.

Scripture anchors the practice: bring requests with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6–7), walk by faith not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and rely on the Spirit in weakness (Romans 8:26). Grace proves sufficient where human strength fails (2 Corinthians 12:9). Prayer emerges not as a last resort but as a lifelong posture of dependence. Finally, a concrete invitation invites those holding private burdens to write them on notes and place them at the cross—literally leaving problems where the divine repair takes place and choosing trust over anxious control.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Listen for the right voice Discernment requires focused listening amid noise. The right voice calls for obedience, steadying steps when sight or certainty vanishes. Train the heart to recognize guidance that aligns with God’s character and promises, not with fear or convenience. Obeying that voice reorients action from impulsive fixes to faithful following. [06:42]
• 2. Prayer is a sustained life posture Prayer functions as ongoing dependence, not an emergency tool. Present requests with thanksgiving and allow prayer to reshape desires and anxieties rather than merely seeking outcomes. This posture cultivates peace and steadies the will to wait while God prepares what’s needed. Make petition and praise intertwined rhythms of daily living. [18:20]
• 3. Leave burdens in God’s hands Deliver problems instead of reclaiming them for temporary control. Trust means relinquishing attempts to tinker until the repair becomes complete; impatience often undoes careful work. Waiting on God protects the integrity of the restoration and honors divine timing over human urgency. Choose surrender over repeated rework. [15:27]
• 4. Silent prayers shake the earth Heartfelt, wordless groans move God as decisively as public petitions. Inner cries carry authenticity that external performance cannot manufacture. Keep praying from the depths; God notices sincerity and responds even when human ears hear nothing. Cultivate private honesty before God without concern for outward display. [13:43]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:14] - Volunteer blindfold exercise
• [01:24] - Guided walk and trust demonstrated
• [03:14] - Staying focused amid distraction
• [06:01] - Trust, Pray, Ask explained
• [08:15] - Hannah’s sorrow and vow
• [12:52] - Hannah returns Samuel to the Lord
• [14:33] - Jeweler and watch analogy
• [20:20] - Write and leave requests at cross

Bible reading: 1 Samuel 1:9-18 (ESV)
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Observation questions

1. What was Hannah's emotional and physical state when she went to pray at the tabernacle?
2. How did Hannah pray, and how did this lead to Eli's misunderstanding of her situation? [10:09]
3. What specific request did Hannah make of God, and what was her vow if her request was granted?
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the fact that God heard and answered Hannah's silent, heartfelt prayer? [13:43]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon illustrated trust with a blindfolded volunteer who had to listen to one guiding voice. What does this tell us about the nature of trusting God when we cannot see the way forward? [06:42]
2. Hannah's story shows that God responds to "wordless groans." Why do you think heartfelt, internal prayers are so powerful and effective, even when no one else hears them?
3. The jeweler and watch analogy teaches that we must leave our problems with God and not reclaim them. What does it mean to "take back" a problem we've supposedly given to God, and why is this so detrimental to the process? [15:27]
4. How does the concept of prayer as a "sustained life posture," rather than an emergency tool, change our understanding of a daily walk with God? [18:20]

Application questions

1. Trust means listening for the right voice among many competing ones. What are the loudest "other voices" in your life (fear, doubt, opinions of others) that often distract you from hearing God's guidance? How can you practice tuning them out this week? [06:42]
2. Prayer is not just a last resort but an ongoing posture of dependence. What would it look like to "present your requests with thanksgiving" in the middle of a current anxiety, rather than waiting until you feel you have no other options? [18:20]
3. The invitation was to physically write down a burden and leave it at the cross. What is one specific burden you are currently tempted to "tinker with" and reclaim from God's hands? What is one practical step you can take this week to consciously leave it with Him? [15:27]
4. Hannah's silent prayer shook the earth. Is there a deep anguish or sorrow in your heart that you feel is too private or wordless to even express? What would it look like to pour out that honest, silent prayer to God today, believing that He hears and cares? [13:43]
5. Walking by faith and not by sight often means taking the next step even when you're anxious. What is one situation where you know God is asking you to trust Him and move forward, even though you cannot see the entire path? What does obeying that "next step" look like for you? [07:28]
6. God works with precision, not haste. Where in your life are you struggling with impatience regarding God's timing? How can you shift your focus from the timing of the answer to trusting the character of the One who holds the answer? [16:28]