Don't get bitter, get better
Ruth 1:20-22 (Amplified Bible)
And she said to them, Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?
If you have never read this story, here we have a woman whose life was drastically changed. First, she and her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons left Bethlehem because of a severe famine. Looking for a better life, they journeyed to Moab. While in Moab, Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, dies, and ten years later, her two sons die, leaving her to care for her two daughters-in-law. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, but upon returning she has no husband or sons, instead a bitter heart.
I believe all the scriptures are written to teach us valuable lessons that will be taught through life’s experiences. I had no idea the one day I would have to practice applying this principle to my life.
Just as Naomi did not understand why God had chosen to take her through one of the most challenging experiences in life, I pondered as well. Just like a child growing up in life you have expectation and plans that usually don’t include bruises and bumps in the road. But I found that even when the unexpected things in life do occur, God has a plan and purpose to make something good out of the worse situations.
At 42 years of age I found hope, encouragement and a renewed spirit while going through a divorce. Although my plight was not one in which I welcomed or embraced I had to accept that this part of my life God had already known about before the foundation of the world.
He was taking me through one of the most unpleasant times in my life but I had to trust that the one in which I had given my life to knew exactly what was best for me and there was something about my life that He was going to reveal and what I had faced and conquered was really going to alter my life forever.
I had one choice to make either I was going to allow myself to be bitter with what He had allowed to happen or I was going to let the situation develop and make me into a better person, I decided to use the situation to make me better.
There was a bigger picture that God had for my life, a picture that was revealed at the beginning of 2007. God wanted me to begin telling people what He had did for me during my ordeal and how He carried me through the rages of life. How would God want me to do that? God didn’t take long to reveal how He wanted me to accomplish that and it was through writing. He has expanded my ministry to include writing about my own personal experiences. My book “That was then, this is now this broken vessel restored” (Tate Publishing & Enterprises, May 2008) was birth from my pain and no tear was shed in vain, a heart-wrenching account of one woman’s true story of determination, loss and triumph.
Women of God I encourage you this day! Even when it appears that things don’t always go according to our plans, God plans are better. Choose to let the disappointments in life make you into a better woman, a better mother, a better sister, a better wife. Don’t allow your heart to become bitter with was has happened, embrace the changes, embrace the new things, embrace the season of new beginnings.
Prayer:
Father I come before you in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving to you because you see the bigger picture for my life. At times I don’t understand what you are doing or why you allow disappointments to happen but I commit to trusting you. Thank you for causing all things to work together for my good, in Jesus name.
Food for thought:
How do you respond when you are faced with disappointments and heart ache?
Do you find it hard to trust God when faced with the uncertainties of life?
In Him,
Paulette
Paulette Harper is the Author of “That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored”. A
heart-wrenching account of one woman’s true story of determination, loss and triumph. In her
book, she outlines how a heart attitude of surrender allows God to use a broken vessel for His
ultimate plans of Glory.
A native of Pittsburg, Ca, Paulette travels as an inspirational speaker teaching people how to
overcome life’s unexpected experiences by delivering a strong message of hope.
Her passion is to lead people to a clear and precise understanding of how life challenges can
become one’s ultimate source of victory by sharing solid, biblical principles that will enable people
to find a way out of every trial so they can reach their God given potential.
She has been featured on Comcast Channel 26, Gospel Search TV, San Francisco Radio Station
KPOO, Artistfirst Radio Station, Access TV Channel 29 San Francisco, Grace and Mercy Magazine
and on aakulturezone.com and WOW magazine.
For more information about “That Was Then, This Is Now visit www.bvministry.org or www.myspace.com/pauletteh
Paulette can be reached at: paulet_harper@yahoo.com
Labels: Guest Contributor
posted by lori @ 12:53 AM
5 Comments:
Naomi and Ruth's story is one of my favorite stories. This past March I lost my mother-in-law and I referred to her as my Naomi. She sometimes had mentality of Ruth during her last months but I know that she is resting with the Lord. Actually she's probably not resting much knowing her. Thank you for this post, I've been thinking alot about that whole story! God Bless.
That was a great devotion and one i needed to read.
I just wrote a post about going through a time when I was disappointed with God. Thanks for the devotion.
That was a beautiful devotion and it really blessed me! Thank you for writing from your heart.
Awesome post.
Post a Comment
It is good to hear from you... thank you so very much for leaving a note on the table. That makes us smile!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home