THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
When she approached the priest, she said, "In me, Lord. What do you mean by 'in me'? Please listen closely to my words." Given that considerable time had elapsed, she aimed to remind him of her prior statement; thus, she added, "In me, O Lord; let your spirit live; ... I am the woman who stands before you to seek the Lord: for this child we petitioned the Lord, and He granted me my request—what I desired from Him. I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life for His service" (1 Sam. 1:26-28).
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She did not mention, "I am the wife whom you have wronged, insulted, and ridiculed due to accusations of inebriation." Instead, she calmly stated that God had revealed her innocence, showing that she does not drink and that your accusations were unfounded. She refrained from speaking any harsh words, instead demonstrating remarkable dignity. Although she possessed the evidence of her situation and could have chastised the priest for condemning her unjustly, she chose not to do so. Rather, she spoke only of God's grace.
Consider the nobility of this servant. In her time of suffering, she chose not to disclose her anguish to anyone, nor did she tell the priest, "I have an adversary who mocks and derides me, who has many children, while I, living righteously, have not been able to become a mother until now; God has closed my womb, and though He sees me in distress, He has not shown me mercy." She revealed none of this but, remaining silent in the face of her trials, merely communicated that she was grieving within her spirit, saying, "I am a woman with a sorrowful heart." She would not have even mentioned this if it had not been for the priest's misunderstanding of her as being intoxicated.