Call Me Bitter: Study of Ruth Part #2

Have you ever felt the sting of bitterness and wondered if even God understands? Join me, Jessi Morgan, on this heartfelt episode of the Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast as we explore Naomi's journey through grief and loss in the Book of Ruth. Through Naomi's story, we uncover the raw emotions that accompany life's toughest moments and find solace in the idea that our actions in response to these feelings are what truly shape our faith. As we reflect on Ruth 1:19-22 and Ephesians 4:31-32, we'll discover how Naomi's transformation into Mara, meaning "bitter," serves as a powerful reminder of God's understanding and presence during our most challenging seasons.

In sharing a personal story of disappointment, I reveal the struggles I faced in a professional setting that shook my own faith journey. This episode invites you to reflect on your own experiences with bitterness and sadness, encouraging you to seek God's presence amid trials. By connecting deeply with Naomi's narrative, we find encouragement and hope, knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. Together, let's embrace the assurance that God's love remains with us, offering comfort and strength as we navigate life's storms.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, hello. You are listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 27. This week's devotional is titled Call Me Bitterness Study of Ruth, part 2. Let's go Hi. I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast.

Speaker 1: 0:29

This is a weekly devotional. I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within.

Speaker 1: 1:14

Call Me Bitter Study of Ruth, part 2, episode 27. Key Verses and Passages Ruth 1, 19-22, and Ephesians 4, 31-32. Welcome back to the podcast. Just to let you guys know, I am a little bit under the weather, or, per se, I'm dealing with some allergies, so if I sound nasally, that is why. So I apologize beforehand, but let's get started. It's not going to stop us from learning about God's word, right? So welcome back to the podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:42

Last week we spoke about clinging and committing to God, and today we're diving into the second part of our series of the book of Ruth. Our theme is bitterness, something that's so real even though we don't always talk about it openly as believers. We're going to look at Ruth 1, 19 through 22, where Naomi faces a season of deep bitterness and hurt. She had just arrived back in the land of Judah with her daughter-in-law, ruth, who refused to leave her side even after Naomi's son, which was Ruth's husband, had died. Since Naomi had nothing left in Moab, she decided to return home, to Bethlehem. Let's discuss this together and find encouragement in her story. So let's start with the key verse, ruth 1, 19 through 22, which says so.

Speaker 1: 2:33

The two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed can this be Naomi. Don't call me Naomi. She told them Call me Mara because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me. The Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.

Speaker 1: 3:01

Naomi had lost her husband and two sons in a short time, leaving her feeling alone, bitter and devastated. She even wanted to be called Mara, which means bitter in Hebrew. How honest is that? How real is that? So have you ever felt bitterness, sadness and frustration all mixed together? It's not a typical Christian combination, but it's real, and God understands when we go through seasons like this. In fact, he expects it because we're human. It's not the feeling itself that God focuses on, but what we do with it. Bitterness is a strong emotion, and Naomi wasn't shy about showing hers. She arrived back in Bethlehem after losing her husband and sons, with Ruth by her side, but the emptiness she felt was overwhelming. As believers, sometimes we're told to have unwavering faith, but God isn't surprised when we struggle.

Speaker 1: 4:01

I want to share a story of my own to make this really relatable. There was a time when I had the chance, or I had the opportunity, to move to Washington DC with the retail company I was working for. It was a big deal for me my first supervisory role where I'd be training and hiring a new junior coordinator to work alongside me as the brand coordinator. But when I got there I found out that the company had already hired the junior coordinator without my input. And get this? After three weeks of training this person? It turns out that she is the daughter of the company's president.

Speaker 1: 4:39

I was shocked, disappointed and I felt betrayed. I uprooted my life, moved from Miami, found a place in Maryland and was excited about what I thought would have been a new chapter of growth. But I ended up feeling misled and bitter. I kept saying why, god? What was the point of all this? And yes, I felt bitter towards this person, even though it wasn't initially really her fault. I made assumptions that she had better perks, probably higher pay, all because of her family connections. My mind went off the deep end a bit. But then suddenly, you know, something happened. She ran into an issue with the store manager and called me for help. That was the turning point. I realized God was challenging me to do my job well, regardless of my feelings, and he was teaching me to soften my heart. That lesson was hard and it ultimately drew me closer to God and to really move forward in this situation, to God and to really move forward in this situation.

Speaker 1: 5:48

So here are three steps that really have worked for me when it comes to bitterness. It's not an overnight thing. It takes time, but I think it's well worth trying it. So number one recognize and confess. First I had to admit to myself and to God that I was bitter. I shared my feelings with my parents and prayed about it. I didn't share it with everybody. Sometimes you overshare your issues and you get so many opinions that it just confuses you or actually could make you even more angry, because you're getting too many fresh opinions where they might agree with you and the bitterness could grow. So sometimes it's not worth sharing and oversharing your problems with so many people. Also, recognizing where I was at and being honest with God is the first step to healing. He already knows, so there's no hiding it from him. So really that was the first thing was recognizing it and confessing it, and just confessing it to God and my parents.

Speaker 1: 6:50

Number two pray for the person who hurt you. This one is hard Tough. Right. At first I didn't want to pray for my boss or the company's president, why? Or the president's daughter per se? My dad and I spoke about this and he said this so well. He said, jess, let's pray that your boss, the president and everyone realizes how wrong this all is for you. God can do anything, just pray about it. Eventually I started praying for them and as I did, my heart softened. I began to see the situation from different perspectives, and that made me less bitter. My direct boss came to visit me soon after and shared that they too had no choice but to hire the daughter as well but to hire the daughter as well. I began to understand how this all happened and I just wasn't as upset as before. God helped me open my eyes and put aside that bitterness to see what was really going on.

Speaker 1: 7:58

Number three replace bitter thoughts with God's word. God's word can transform how we see things. Scripture is so powerful and when we let it sink in, it becomes our best friend. Whenever I feel bitterness now, I turn to the Bible to realign my thoughts. It helps me focus on what's true and what's eternal. A great group of verses I found and read just sums up this whole situation for me now Ephesians 4, 31 through 32.

Speaker 1: 8:36

Get rid of all the bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other. Just as Christ God forgave you. I had to forgive, I had to show compassion and I had to show kindness to basically remove the bitterness that Satan was trying to burden me with through this situation. Look how much pressure and negativity is birthed through bitterness For me. I was angry, frustrated and overthinking everything, and Naomi was telling people to call her a different name. Wow, talk about impact and not the best way. Maybe your situation isn't work-related like mine. Maybe it's about a relationship, financial struggles or maybe something, how Naomi was going through the death of somebody, or even a deep loss per se.

Speaker 1: 9:26

No matter what it is, bitterness can creep in, but we can lean on God for direction and healing. He doesn't want us stuck in a Mata mindset. He wants us to live in a Jesus mindset. Jesus experienced pain, loneliness, betrayal. He could have even been bitter, but he wasn't even on the cross. In Luke 23, 34, it says Jesus said Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing, and they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Imagine that. Imagine what Jesus was going through no bitterness he showed. Imagine what Jesus was going through no bitterness he showed, just compassion, mercy and grace. If Jesus can respond with love and forgiveness, being on that cross, being abused, we can ask him to help us endure challenges and get through it as well. Bitterness is heavy, but God's love is heavier, deeper and stronger than you can ever imagine.

Speaker 1: 10:33

If you're feeling like Naomi, like Amada, today, know that God sees your pain or your frustration. He's ready to help you let go of that bitterness and replace it with peace. Just remember that it's okay to have these emotions of frustration, anger, bitterness. It's okay to have those emotions, but the key is is how do you handle it? What actions are you putting behind it? Are you putting behind actions that can go towards sin, or are you putting behind actions that's going to go towards prayer, that's going to go towards blessings? And that's just the difference when you're dealing with that heaviness of bitterness and things like that. And that's why I just always go back to recognizing and confessing it, praying for the person that hurt you with it, and replacing that bitterness, that feeling, those thoughts, with God's word.

Speaker 1: 11:28

So, as believers, let's try to remember that let's pray. Lord. You see our hearts and you know when we're struggling with bitterness. Help us to release those feelings to you, just like Naomi eventually did as we continue our Ruth study. Soften our hearts, give us strength to forgive and help us trust you and your plan, even when we don't understand it. Lead us to a place of peace, lord, and fill us with your love. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Thank you for joining me today. Remember God can take our bitterness and transform it. Let's walk in that promise this week and remember, stay tuned for Ruth part three coming soon. God bless you. Draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife. Remember God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him Until next time. This is Jessi Morgan praying off.