The Upside of Suffering: Based on the Book of Ruth

We live in a culture of mistrust, hate, fear, division and violence. Our country, our government is in chaos. Life as we very recently knew it has changed. The world is currently in distress over the Covid-19 virus pandemic. Masses are ill, loved ones have died, and health care systems are overwhelmed. We are forced to adjust to social distancing, limiting time in public and wearing personal protective equipment. It is threatening our economy and our way of life. No one is left untouched by this crisis.

Suffering is one thing that affects every person who has drawn a breath. It is inexorable. No one escapes its clutches. It can be debilitating. It can be heart wrenching. It is an absolute, inevitable crucible of life. Suffering can take us to places we never intend to go and leave us unequivocally subjugated. As a result, many people seek relief by self-medicating with alcohol, drugs and other harmful alternatives. When the effects of these anesthetizing agents no longer offer respite, suicide and causing harm to others is sometimes a result. Many times, we are left feeling hopeless and helpless. How do we acclimate to such uncertainty?

There is an end to all ends! Might I introduce you to a radically significant alternative regarding the life altering effects of suffering? The Bible teaches that God is love and suffering is a reality. If this is true, then how are we to reconcile God’s love with suffering? God is the Creator of all that exists. It is his world to govern and whether or not we see the evidence, he maintains complete control. When prayers and questions go unanswered, we can trust God’s wisdom. It is in and through suffering that God accomplishes his ultimate purpose: his glory, our transformation into the likeness of Christ, and the perpetuation of the Kingdom. God is the God who sees. Nothing escapes his notice. Nothing takes him by surprise. In the throes of suffering, we can trust in the omnipotence of a holy, just and loving God. Bad choices, difficult circumstances, and evil committed against us cannot thwart God’s plan for our lives. God uses everything for our ultimate good and his glory.

The Book of Ruth gives significant insight into the realm of women and suffering. In "The Upside of Suffering" discover how our lives parallel on several levels to those of Ruth and Naomi. As we discern God’s sovereignty in their suffering, we can be encouraged to trust God’s sovereignty in ours. When we are willing to surrender our suffering to God, we will discover his holiness, goodness, and grace in the midst of the darkest of times.  

Naomi is the Bible’s female alternative to Job, the biblical heavy weight champion of suffering. Her abject suffering spiraled her into an abyss where she became convinced God had abandoned her and she no longer had purpose. Ruth, the heroine, committed her life to Naomi’s care. Ruth’s sacrifice brought Naomi full circle in discovering God’s ultimate purpose for her life. By their example, all women can find hope and purpose in suffering.

A sever famine in Bethlehem forced Naomi’s family to relocate to a pagan nation where they could find food and wait out the famine. Soon after, her husband died leaving her the single parent of two sons. The two sons married foreign wives who proved to be barren. Ten years later, both sons died. In that culture, the life of a widow with no sons was difficult-to say the least. Life as Naomi had known it was over.