Everyone suffers in life at one time or another, but it’s our response to the suffering that matters. It determines whether we’ll be bitter or better.
The Biblical story of Ruth shows that she had every reason to be bitter—her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law had all died. She didn’t have children, and she had no way to support herself. She could have gone home to her family, but she loved her mother-in-law, Naomi, and was committed to her. She told Naomi, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).
Ruth and Naomi moved to Bethlehem. There Ruth was considered an alien, but she worked hard in the barley fields to provide for herself and Naomi. In God’s providence, she met Boaz, married him, and had a son. That child was King David’s grandfather.
Ruth could have become bitter. Instead, she chose to use the circumstances in which she found herself to demonstrate the biblical virtues of faithfulness and love. With peace in her heart, she went where God led her, and He proved faithful.
What tragedies or unexpected events have occurred in your life, recently or in the past? How have you responded to them? If you have become bitter, dear friend, it’s never too late to turn a hurtful or stressful circumstance into an opportunity for growth. God has given us free will, so it is our choice to allow bitterness to take root or to allow God to heal our hurts and guide our lives.
Bitterness is destructive. Today, choose to recognize God’s hand in your life. He is watching over you, and He makes no mistakes. No matter how your circumstances look at the moment, God is with you. It’s your choice. Trusting Him will make you feel better, not bitter.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” -Proverbs 4:23
By Vonette Bright
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