Future Blessings through Current Suffering

So I have finished my reading in Judges and now and moving on to the book of Ruth. Of course it's a familiar book to most, and quite an important one as well.

Reading the first chapter has reminded me of something that I thought I would write down so I don't forget it.

I want to look specifically at Naomi and the things she goes through in this chapter. To start, her home land was suffering through a famine, causing her husband (Elimilech) to take their family (she and her two sons (Mahlon and Chilion)) to the land of Moab.

Of course, Moab is typically seen as an enemy of Israel, and yet, during a time of famine among God's people, we see that Moab is doing fine, and able to feed their people. Well, what does that have to do with anything? Well, sometimes God allows His people to go through suffering and allows His enemies to enjoy prosperity and contentment. It happened with Israel, and it happens with us. Why do some Christians live in poverty while some of the worst moral offenders live in prosperity? It's because God has a plan. Now Jeremiah 29:11 says "of peace and not of evil". So how do we reconcile the lack of peace in time of suffering? Does "thoughts of peace" mean that our lives will be marked only by blessing and no trouble? No; but what it does mean is that God's ultimate plan for our lives includes a peace only He can give and His will is never to harm us. (Off topic, but note that God's chastisement of His people is not to harm us. It is to correct us, as a parent corrects their child).

Elimilech brings his family to Moab, to stay there temporarily, in order to wait out the famine. Once the famine was over, it would be his intent to go back home. However, we know that Elimilech died before that happened. We also see where their two sons were given wives from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. Of course, we know that this is in God's divine providence that Ruth should become a part of Naomi's family, but at the time, I wonder what they thought about taking Moabite wives.

We know that during their time in Moab, Elimilech, Mahlon and Chilion all died. This left Naomi with no men in her family to take care of them, and no children of her sons to continue their legacy. This is why later in the chapter, when the people say "Is this Naomi?", she replies to them saing "Do not call me Naomi (Pleasant); call me Mara (Bitter), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me." We can see what God was doing, since hindsight is alwasy 20/20, but at the time, Naomi was certainly having a struggle with it.

But as the famine subsided in Israel, Naomi decided to return to her homeland and allow Orpah and Ruth to stay in theirs. However, we see where Orpah leaves after being entreated twice by Naomi, but Ruth promises to stay with her ("Your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God... The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.")

As we know from the remainder of the book of Ruth, God uses Ruth in mighty ways; the most significant of which is being in the direct line of Jesus. It's funny how sometimes God will take the most ill-seeming people and places, and use them in the most significant ways?

But let's try to apply this chapter in some way to our own lives? Let's think... what would have happened without the famine? Would Ruth have been brought into Naomi's family? What would have happened if Elimilech had not died? Or her sons as well? Somehow, despite all the problems that arise in life, and despite all the suffering that we face, could it be that God is preparing us for the work of His Will? Many times, I know that obstacles in life can seem to be against God's Will, when in fact He uses them for that Will. I can say with 100% certainty that there are situations in Sarah's and my life that we are very tempted to ask God "Why"? Why does God let these situations arise? How could it possibly be part of His plan? But I'll say that whenever those questions arise, I remember the words of Paul, "who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God".

Never forget that if God puts you in a situation, there is always a reason. When you are in a position, left with no other option but to wonder "Why, God?", there is a hope. There is a reason you struggle. You may not see it now, and sometimes, you may never see it unfold. But never forget, that "a man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps".