I’ve been reading the book of Ruth the past several weeks. I’ve read it numerous other times but something different jumped out at me going over the first couple of chapters.
Naomi is annoying. Yes, she suffered greatly with the loss of her husband and sons. She wasn’t near her friends and family. Life didn’t go according to plan. It didn’t make her response any less annoying for me to read. Her attitude turns to one of “woe is me”. She says, “don’t call me Naomi; call me Mara, God dealt bitterly with me. I went away full and came back empty.”
Compare Naomi to another individual in the Bible who also came up against some rotten circumstances: Job. His response to suffering was to tear his robe, shave his head, and fall on the ground and worship. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job make the decision to worship God and trust in Him even though his life was turned upside down. Even in the midst of his suffering.
Only when Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem and the Lord blessed Ruth’s gleaning from Boaz’s field did Naomi change her tune. She went from “the Lord has brought calamity upon me” to “His kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead”
How easy it can be for me to get caught up in life and issues and stuff. I worry about health, finances, family, decisions. It’s so easy to act like Naomi, feel sorry for myself and the circumstances and uncertainty that I’m going through.
I became annoyed with Naomi simply reading about her. How much more so do those around me get frustrated with me. I imagine they are wanting to say “Just stop. Let it go. Remember who God is. Continue to bless Him even when it’s hard. Count on Him to help you.” They see the big picture as I’m caught up in my own little self-focused world. Not only is it annoying it’s also dishonoring to my God.
In Philippians we are told not be anxious about anything. Peter tells us to cast all our anxieties on him. In James it says to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds.
It’s not okay to wait until the trials and worries are over and I am looking back that I trust Him. That doesn’t require trust and faith. Instead, in the midst of the battle, in the midst of uncertainty, in the midst of pain, I’m called to trust Him and to let Him carry my burdens however heavy they may be.
When life comes at me, I want my response to be like that of Job’s no matter my worry over medical results, loss, finances, decisions or uncertainty. I want to cast my cares on Him even while I’m waiting for the test results to come. I want my automatic response to be one of praising and blessing God.
It’s not easy. In fact, sometimes I may not even want to but how much better it is when I obey.
What have you found to help your response be one of praise in the midst of the unknown?
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I hadn’t thought of Naomi as annoying before, but you have a point! She sure was whiney. I love Paul’s response to his own trials and sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” And 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul quotes Jesus: “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” When I am weak, when I’m struggling, then Christ exhibits His power in me. Oh how I love knowing that the Lord dwells with me in those trying times.
I don’t know why I hadn’t picked up on her whiney-ness before. It was a good reminder for me to not act like that when things don’t go my way. Love those two verses. So thankful for such a great and loving God.
Just believe and praise him. He will crown you with success.
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Believe and praise is always a perfect response. Thanks for stopping by and the comment.
What an interesting parallel and a very good question at ask ourselves. Yes, what is our response to trials? Thank you for pointing out this important lesson for us from these two people in Scripture. Have a blessed week. -Dean
Thank for commenting, Dean! It’s always harder for me to have the right response in the midst of a trial but it’s still so important.
I really enjoyed reading this and had never before thought of Naomi in this light – but when you compare her to Job and all that he lost, and his response to it all, it is so true! I know I am Naomi so much of the time. Thank you for giving me something to think about.
Thanks for your comment! I had never thought of Naomi like that before either. It just jumped out at me this time. I wondered too if it was because I have a tendency to be annoying and whiny when things don’t go my way. I immediately thought, “I don’t want to be like that.” 🙂
God has used you to show me that I need to get back to studying His word. Thanks for the reminder.
Your welcome, Rebecca, and thank you for the comment!
I often remind myself that the Israelites wandered for 40 years making an 11 day journey because they complained and this helps me adjust my attitude to one of Worship and Praise in the midst of the unknown. Enthroning God in my situation my Praise and Worship also helps me stop feeling defeated since I know The Powerful God will take care of it for me.
That’s a great thing to bring to mind when my attitude needs adjusted. Thanks for sharing. Even in the unknown, difficult, and painful I’m called to worship and praise Him. Appreciate you commenting.
I dont know, I think Naomi was in mourning for losing her husband and sons. This wasn’t a day of oh the sun didnt shine or I didn’t get the stuff done that I wanted to and someone was rude to me down at the market. She was human and felt a deep loss for her sons and husband. I don’t think we should feel annoyed at her we should empathize with her loss, we should feel the pain she must have felt. She was normally a faithful woman and her faith was shaken with her losses but Yahweh still cared for and loved her. I believe the point of the story was that Ruth set aside her mourning to love her neighbor as herself and take care of her needs and cry with her. The point is Naomi had been through a lot with the loss of her family but Yahweh gave her Ruth to show her kindness and love through her grief that they shared together.Yahshua wept when he found Lazarus was dead, and felt a great loss even throug he could raise him from the dead. He was moved with compassion. I think the scripture shows empathy and unconditional love. I don’t think the point of the scripture was that Yahweh wanted to annoy us and I believe it misses the point completely.This is found in John ch 11. You cant tell me that you wouldn’t mourn if you lost one loved one let alone 3 or more. I don’t think you wouldn’t wonder why it happened. I guess I have lost many loved ones so I look at this quite differently.
You are very right. She had suffered a huge loss – not only had her husband and sons passed away she wasn’t with her people. She was alone. I do feel for her and her heartache. It would be imaginable. I should be as Ruth to those around me that are hurting and love and mourn with them. Thanks for the reminder. I believe mourning is okay and showing love and kindness is commanded in the Bible but at the same time, in the midst of loss, uncertainty, heartache, and struggles I want to remember that God is in control. He will fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in Him. Even though my attitude is so easily influenced by circumstances, it shouldn’t. God is my Redeemer, He’s my comforter, He’s in control. I need to be able to worship and praise Him no matter what. For me, Job was a great picture of that. Thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it.
You are right about that. Thanks for reminding me 🙂 That is what I took from it that even though she was bitter and probably depressed, Yahweh still cared and comforted her along the way even if she didn’t feel it. And in the end Yahweh grew her faith and blessed her more.
I love how we can learn from each other! I appreciate other’s perspectives and getting to see something new or look at a verse from a slightly different angle.
What a great post – our response is so important and it is so easy to focus on “me” and “mine” instead of on God. Thank you for the reminder to us all. 🙂 Gentle Joy
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”Matthew 5:4 I forgot to add this scripture which I think goes along with the story. Ruth and Yahweh comforted naomi.
Such a great verse. So thankful that He comforts when I mourn – that I can go to Him with all of my heartaches and problems and He’s always there for me.
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