Scripture
Ruth 1:19-21
Ruth 4:13-17
Revelation 21:1-5
We will all have seasons in our life that are bitter, not exactly that we are bitter, though that might be the case as well, but times that are just really hard, full of disappointment or loss. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one definition of “bitter” is, “distasteful or distressing to the mind.” Other definitions are, “marked by intensity or severity,” and “caused by or expressive of severe pain, grief, or regret.” Maybe just reading those definitions brought certain seasons of your life to mind. It did for me.
Naomi went through a very bitter season. When a famine hit the land, her and her husband and their two sons went to Moab. She lived there for 10 years and during that time she lost her husband, and then her sons got married to Moabite women, and then both of her sons died. She was left with nothing and no one except her two Moabite daughters-in-law.
When her and Ruth went back to the land of Judah to live in Bethlehem, she came with essentially nothing. The women in the town saw her and said, “Can this be Naomi?” Now, Naomi means, “pleasant,” which I’m sure at one point described her very well. But she said to the women, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
Mara means “bitter.” She felt as though she lost who she was along with her husband and sons. She didn’t feel pleasant, her life didn’t feel pleasant. The pleasantness was changed to bitterness. She blamed God saying, “the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” Loss is a very difficult thing to grapple with, with people often asking the question of why. Why did this happen? Why me? Why now? The truth is, we don’t know and we can never fully know why things like this happens.
So, when we don’t understand the “why,” we need to trust the “who,” that God is still good and that he has a good plan, even when it doesn’t feel good at the time. When you’re in the midst of the bitter season, it’s hard to see that or believe it. That’s where Naomi was, and maybe where you are right now. It may feel like God caused those things to happen, but death and pain is all a result of the fall—the brokenness and sin in our world. That is not what God originally intended, it’s not his desire, but that’s where we’re at. However, he has a plan to redeem it all, and one day, those who have a relationship with Jesus, will live in a place with no more death or pain or sadness.
Naomi did see some redemption in her life though. Ruth ended up marrying Boaz, their guardian-redeemer, and they had a son, Obed. When that happened, the women in the town praised God for this and prayed that this child would renew her life and sustain her in her old age. They also said, “For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then, Naomi took Obed into her arms and she cared for him. She cared for him as if he was her own son.
Yes, she lost a lot, and her grandson wasn’t replacing her own sons, but he did bring her joy and renewed her life. God was at work here. He used Ruth in her life to love her and care for her, better than seven sons, like the women said. He provided Boaz to also redeem her and her family line. Then, God gave her a grandson whom she cared for and loved.
You may not see what God is doing any time soon. You may not see this redemption of your story, like Naomi did, on this side of heaven. But, if you have a relationship with Jesus, you are redeemed and one day, you will fully experience that. Although, I hope that your bitter seasons don’t last forever, as they rarely do. And I hope that in the midst of the bitterness, you would come to God for the sweetness you may be lacking in or around you. He is with you in midst of the bitterness, wanting to bring sweetness to your soul, your heart, and your life.
Prayer
Lord, it is often so hard for me to see what you’re doing, where you’re working, or the why behind what happens. In those moments, remind me of who you are, that you care for me, and that you are good. Bring sweetness into the bitter seasons in my life.
Questions/Journal Prompts
Feel free to use these questions as a guide as you journal and/or pray.
1. Have you experienced a bitter season, like the one Naomi had? If so, what was that like?
2. What are the questions you tend to ask when you’re in bitter seasons, or going through really rough times?
3. What are some reminders of who God is in the midst of those times?
4. How has God brought sweetness into bitter seasons in your life?
Songs to listen to
Spend some time listening to these songs, reflecting on the words, and sitting with Jesus.
“Comforter” by Amanda Lindsey Cook https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P415wzxRJws
“Highs & Lows” by Hillsong Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ESO6SHEwGk
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