Bitter...For Now

Naomi was totally committed to Ruth. But with the loss of her own family, Ruth was now Naomi’s only family. A life full was now left empty. Mara literally means “bitter,” and Naomi from that point on wanted to be referred to as that name because that became her identity. She was bitter because she felt God had, for all intents and purposes, abandoned her. Bitterness is insidious. There is an old analogy about a boiling frog. It basically goes that if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out, recognizing that that environment is dangerous. However, if you put a frog in a pot of water at room temperature and then slowly turn up the temperature to the point of boiling, it will not recognize the danger until it is too late. Bitterness is often that slow boil. Hurt by a relationship gone bad, or attempting to accomplish a goal only to fail over and over again, it can create a joyless life marred with regret and anger. Sadly, as with Naomi, we often turn disappointment into bitterness against God. Naomi proclaimed that God had afflicted her. She didn’t understand why God would take everything from her. And to be honest, when reading about all that happened to her, right or wrong, I can understand her bitterness. It is our nature to want to lay blame on someone when bad things happen. And when there is no one to blame, we blame God. “Why did you let this happen to me?” How often have any of us cried this out in frustration? Bitterness creates a wall of doubt and distrust. And the longer we let it go, the harder it becomes to let go of it. The problem with bitterness is that it is an affliction of the present, that when allowed it can become an affliction for life. Naomi had no idea the plans that God in store for her. She was in a season in life where she knew nothing but pain and resentment not knowing that soon God would bring Boaz into her life. When I look back at those instances in my life where I felt bitter because I felt God had abandoned me and then look at the outcome from those circumstances it is amazing to see how God truly blessed me way more than I could imagine. There is a well-known Christian inspirational poem by Mary Stevenson that focuses on God’s promise to never abandon us. The final stanza reads:

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you.”

Bitterness can and will happen. We can choose to let it consume us or choose to give it to God. He is faithful.