Taken from Bible Study Series, “Help For the Troubled Heart”
Week 6
The Bible book of Ruth is a true love story unfolding through the lives of ordinary people. As this true story progresses, the focus centers on two women, Naomi and Ruth. Naomi experiences the deaths of her husband and two sons. Ruth experiences the death of her husband.
Bitterness is always waiting for a place to take root in our lives. Death, the loss of a loved one, is a common opening for bitterness to fester, especially the loss of a child. Naomi was overcome with grief. She had lost her spiritual edge. Grief will do that to a person. As she finally makes it back to her home town, she was welcomed with love and appreciation. Her response was one from the depths of pain, “don’t call me pleasant, call me bitter.” She even blamed God for the losses.
God was in the midst of this situation even if she didn’t see or feel it. So often in times of death, we somehow seek to blame God, especially with deaths that feel so untimely. No matter the age, all deaths feel untimely. Thank God Jesus Christ has overcome sin and death!
We are all going to face the temptation of bitterness in life. As we experience the deaths of loved ones, of dreams, of desires, bitterness is waiting to take control. Yet our hope in Christ is an anchor of our souls lifting us upward. Trust Him.
Help For The Troubled Heart Testimonies – Scott & Chris Shultz from Calvary Church Colorado on Vimeo.
11/26/2017 – From Bitterness to Betterness from Calvary Church Colorado on Vimeo.
