How should we respond when we feel "empty" as Naomi did in Ruth 1:21? Setting the Scene—Ruth 1:21 “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty… the Almighty has afflicted me.” Naomi’s Experience of Emptiness • Famine had driven her from Bethlehem. • Death took her husband and both sons. • Returning home, she felt stripped of security, family, and even identity, choosing the name “Mara” (“bitter”). • Yet, though she felt “empty,” God had already placed Ruth at her side and a harvest on the horizon. Recognize Honest Lament • Scripture never denies raw sorrow. – Psalm 13:1-2—“How long, O LORD?... How long must I wrestle in my soul…?” – Job 1:21—“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” • God welcomes truthful words; confession of emptiness is not faithlessness but an act of bringing reality before Him. Return to the Covenant Community • Naomi “returned… to Bethlehem” (Ruth 1:22). She did not stay isolated in Moab. • The local people, the barley harvest, and Boaz’s fields became channels of God’s provision. • When emptiness presses, engage worship, fellowship, and accountability rather than retreating into solitude. – Hebrews 10:24-25—“And let us consider how to spur one another on… not forsaking meeting together…” Look for Present Graces—Even Small Ones • Naomi said she came back empty, yet Ruth was literally standing beside her (Ruth 1:22). • A harvest was beginning: “They arrived in Bethlehem at the start of the barley harvest.” • Practice gratitude lists; note every evidence of God’s kindness, however modest. – Lamentations 3:21-23—“Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed… His mercies never fail.” Hold to God’s Overarching Purposes • What seemed like loss became the pathway to Boaz, marriage, and the lineage of David—and Christ. • Romans 8:28—“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him…” • Hebrews 12:11 reminds us that discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” later. • Our emptiness today may be the soil in which future redemption grows. Serve Others Out of Your Need • Ruth gathered grain for Naomi; Naomi counseled Ruth about Boaz. Ministry flowed amid their pain. • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4—God “comforts us… so that we can comfort those in any trouble.” • Practical steps: – Volunteer in church or community outreach. – Write encouragement notes. – Share your story with someone struggling similarly. Expect God to Fill What You Yield • Ruth 4:14-15—“He will be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age.” Naomi’s arms once empty now cradled Obed. • Psalm 34:18—“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted.” • Psalm 23:1—“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Summary Steps When Feeling Empty 1. Pour out your honest lament to the Lord. 2. Re-engage with God’s people and worship. 3. Note and thank God for every small grace. 4. Trust His sovereign plan, even when unseen. 5. Serve others, allowing comfort received to flow outward. 6. Anticipate future fullness, for the Redeemer has never failed His own. |
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