“for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”
Ruth 1:13b KJV
Can you identify with Naomi? Does it feel like "that the hand of the Lord is gone out against" you?
They say "hindsight is better than foresight"; here in the book of Ruth, we see a prime example of that! She, could not see how God's hand was all over the bad circumstances in her life! God sees from the beginning to the end, and we do not! In fact Naomi never knew that the baby she nursed would be the great-grandfather to King David.
She only believed that the LORD'S hand was against her.
When we only look at our circumstances - it sometime seems the obvious conclusion!
However, the scripture that comes to mind is: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20 KJV
Joseph, at the end, realized the good that came out of the bad.
This is where belief, faith, hope and trust come into play!
First you must believe, and it's easy to believe in what you know. To know God, you must read His Word! It's hard to believe in something someone else knows! So read your Bible; cover to cover, daily; make it a habit!
As you read, you see Who God is, and what He's done, your faith will grow and hope will build! As you read, you have the choice to trust God or not! Should you choose to trust Him, you will also make the choice to obey! Obedience is the acknowledgement of Him being God and you giving up your will in lieu of His will!
Trust - Obey - Rest!
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV
If we know, we can believe; hope rises, faith builds and we trust, because we know!
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
What you are going through right now, no matter how bad it is; know God is in control. He is moving you to a place where He can act.
It may take a famine to move you; or death to move you; you may never see the good that will come from the disasters, but God has a plan! Your very painful trial, may indeed be an intricate part for the saving of your life, or the life of your future children or the saving of a nation. In the hands of The Creator of the Universe nothing is impossible!
I know; for looking back at my life of rebellion; circumstances and bad choices on my part, God used all to bring me to the point of total submission to Him. As bad as it was, I would not change a thing, because of where He has me now! Knowing Him, serving Him is worth all the pain this life has held. He is more than worth it; He is worth dying for! He IS!
Even so - MARANATHA!
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