Don't Let the Bad Days Define Youნიმუში

WHEN THE BOTTOM FALLS OUT

Have you ever had a moment where life just fell apart? Naomi was experiencing one of those days. Sometime after moving away from the land of her God, she lost, in rapid succession, her husband and both her sons… left with just her two Moabite daughters-in-law, she has to make a decision. She decides to go back home, and Ruth joins her. When she finally limped back into town, she didn’t even want to be called by her real name. “Just call me Mara(bitter),” she said.

In this moment of deep pain and sorrow, Naomi made a decision that would forever shape the rest of her life. Instead of sitting in her sorrow, she decided to go back to her people in the place of her God. When life hits you hard, where do you go, and to whom do you run?

It is so easy to assume that God can’t handle the real you and that you must hide your negative feelings from Him, especially when life hits hard. But here’s the truth: God can handle your honesty, your grief, and your sorrow, and He doesn’t shame you for having those feelings.

Maybe today you feel like you are in one of your worst days. If so, you have a choice to make: Stay in that sorrow and pain or move forward with God.

Naomi’s story doesn’t get sugar-coated. It starts in devastation. But that’s not where it ends. And the same can be true for you. Just because it’s dark right now doesn’t mean the light isn’t coming.

She is bitter and frustrated, and the truth is, she blames God, but God remains patient with her. As you read through the book of Ruth, I hope you notice a very important detail... Even though she tells people to call her Mara, no one does. Not Ruth, not the people, and not even God. Let that simple thought serve as a constant reminder that just because you see yourself a certain way doesn't mean that is how God sees you.

Reflection Question:

• Have you ever tried to rename yourself because of your pain?
• What would it look like to trust God with your real name again?