Grief is a normal reaction to a loss or life event. Death of a loved one, divorce, separation, or even the illness of a loved one. The fact is, things happen in life that can be detrimental to our emotional and mental health.

Naomi, in the Book of Ruth, in the bible suffered the unthinkable. She lost her husband and two sons to death. Naomi lived in the land of Moab for about ten years. Naomi decided to return to the land of her God along with her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah once the famine was over. Ruth and Orpah was the only family that Naomi had in Moab. Although they had different beliefs, they had something in common. They all suffered the loss of their husbands.

The three of them decided to leave Moab for Bethlehem. Bethlehem was Naomi’s native land, and all her family and friends were there. This was not her reason for returning. She left for Bethlehem because she had heard that “the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.” The famine was over.

On the road, Naomi became stricken with grief and concern for her two daughters-in-law. She did not believe that it was right for them to leave their family and friends to follow her to Bethlehem where they would not be able to have a husband, since she was too old to give them another one. Orpah decided to stay with her family in Moab, but Ruth’s determination was no match for Naomi’s stubbornness. She refused to leave Naomi.

Ruth and Naomi developed a Godly soul tie. Ruth said, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where 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”.
Naomi was empty due to all of the loss in her life. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi was met with the people that she left behind. Ruth 1:19-21 says
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Little did Naomi know just how blessed she was. The famine was truly over in Bethlehem. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. The bible says that Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

The Lord knows what we need. He is in control. We can find ourselves in a certain place that does not feel good. We can be overwhelmed with sorrow and grief, but God is still in the plan. There is a blessing on the other side of the pain.

Be Blessed

Visit A Designed Transformation