Naomi Deals with Her BitternessRuth Chapter 1

Ruth begins with NaomiA woman who has endured

terrible lossA decade of troublesMisery upon misery

She is bitter

FamineLeft her country

Death of her husbandDeath of her two sons

LonelinessReturning home with nothing

She has reason to be bitter!But she never becomes bitter

She heads back home with hopeShe graciously says goodbyeBut Ruth refuses to separate

from Naomi

16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Why would Ruth want to stay with Naomi?

A bitter womanAn old woman

A woman with nothing to offerA foreigner

Naomi was hopeful in the Lord6When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

Naomi was gracious even in her pain8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. 9May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them and they wept aloud…

Naomi was frank about her pain11…Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?

Naomi could struggle with her Lord13…No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’S hand has gone out against me!”

16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Ruth wants to stay with Naomi because…

This old woman with a dozen reasons to be bitter was…

HopefulGracious and kind

Frank about her painHad a healthy relationship with her God

Ruth wanted to stay with NaomiBecause in Naomi she saw…

HopePossibilities

A future

19So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21I 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.”

Naomi allowed herself to experience bitterness

She spoke of itBut she never became bitter

The bitterness never reached her heart to change her

What do we learn from Naomi?First

It’s ok to struggle with GodIt’s ok to be angry with God

It’s ok to verbalize our bitterness

SecondAs we struggle with God we can

still trust HimIn our struggle and bitterness we

can still have hope

ThirdHow we deal with our bitterness

can help others see GodHow we trust, hope and depend on God is our witness to others

FourthOur kindness, graciousness and compassion for others during those times of bitterness can

demonstrate how powerful God in us

FifthWe can experience bitterness

without becoming bitterWe can verbalize our anger and

disappointment without becoming sour

Be hopeful in the Lord Be gracious even in your pain Be frank about your pain Struggle with your Lord if necessary Stay beautiful