Bad stuff happens, and it can make us bitter.
Hi, I’m Allen Burris from Sherwood Oaks Christian Church.
Naomi means pleasant. Life has a way, though, of changing the pleasant, not simply to unpleasant, but to bitterness. It happened to Naomi in the Story of Ruth found in the Bible.
Naomi lost her husband and her two sons to death. As a result, she’s angry at God and changes her name.
She says, “Don’t call me Naomi! Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and has sent such tragedy upon me?”
Mara means bitter. The once pleasant Naomi has become bitter–bitter about life and bitter toward God.
She doesn’t lose her faith, however, and God, working through the people around her, keeps blessing her. And she keeps seeing it. Slowly, the blessings remove the bitterness. Before the story is over Mara becomes Naomi again.
It took a while. Seems like it usually does. So, hang in there, and let’s hang onto each other. Look for the Lord’s blessings in those around you.