Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. – Ruth 1:20-21
Naomi’s name means “Pleasant.” But after a season of hardship she changes her name to Mara, which means “Bitter.” What caused Naomi to change from a pleasant person into a bitter woman? The verse above shows us four reasons. First, she decided to leave the Land of Promise and settle in a pagan place. Second, she blamed others (even God) for her difficulty. Third, she focused on what she did NOT have. Finally, she completely lost sight of what she had gained.
The same thing can happen to us when we encounter difficulty. When we stop abiding in Jesus and His Word and get entrenched in the world it starts to impact our perspective and our focus. When we are not rooted in the truth it gets easy for lies to sprout up. We start thinking of ourselves as helpless victims instead of children of God. We blame others, our circumstances, and sometimes even God for the misery we are experiencing. We get so bitter about what we don’t have but believe we should that we stop being grateful for what God has given.
What about you, is life making you bitter or better? Are you more thankful and joyful than you were last year? Or have you become more critical, resentful or disgruntled?
Naomi’s name means “Pleasant.” But after a season of hardship she changes her name to Mara, which means “Bitter.” What caused Naomi to change from a pleasant person into a bitter woman? The verse above shows us four reasons. First, she decided to leave the Land of Promise and settle in a pagan place. Second, she blamed others (even God) for her difficulty. Third, she focused on what she did NOT have. Finally, she completely lost sight of what she had gained.
The same thing can happen to us when we encounter difficulty. When we stop abiding in Jesus and His Word and get entrenched in the world it starts to impact our perspective and our focus. When we are not rooted in the truth it gets easy for lies to sprout up. We start thinking of ourselves as helpless victims instead of children of God. We blame others, our circumstances, and sometimes even God for the misery we are experiencing. We get so bitter about what we don’t have but believe we should that we stop being grateful for what God has given.
What about you, is life making you bitter or better? Are you more thankful and joyful than you were last year? Or have you become more critical, resentful or disgruntled?
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