Bitter or Better? Allow God to change your situation

When life gives you lemons, do you make lemonade?

 Quite often, life can seem so daunting and we begin questioning God. The life of Naomi, in the book of Ruth is an example of how some of us might feel during our must difficult situation in life. At times, we may look on the outside and see that everyone seems to moving so smoothly, yet ours seem like a scene out a very sad movie. If you're not familiar with Naomi's story, its pretty sad and discouraging. The Bible states that Naomi, not only lost her husband but her two sons as well. She was left with her two daughter in law, Orphan and Ruth. She attempted to send the two daughter in law back to their mother's houses but Ruth clung to Naomi and refused to go back. As Naomi, returned back to her homeland, on her way, she met with the people in the town, they recognized her. So they asked themselves, "is this Naomi?" here was her reply:

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?  Ruth 1:20-21

The Hebrew meaning of Naomi is pleasantness and Mara means bitter. Here is a woman who literally lost everything, her husband dies then shortly after, both her sons also die. What a bitter life! I mean, we can't question God but a lot of us are on the same boat. As I write this, I think of my experience, with losing both mt parents at a young age, my father died when I was 7 years old and my mom soon passed 7 years later. It left me confused and at the time I had no conception of how God works. I was left feeling bitter for a while. It affected my life in so many ways, socially, economically, physically but ultimately as I got older and I came to know the Lord, I became better. So the lesson here is that we are allowed to be bitter but as we walk with God, we let God turn our bitterness into BETTER. The Lord will surely do it. He did it even in Naomi's situation. Naomi was bitter and she had a reason to be bitter, but due to her daughter in law, Ruth's obedience and commitment to her, Naomi was able to changer her situation from Bitter to Better. Take a notice, that Ruth also lost her husband, but she persevered and remained committed to God's will in her life and the Lord ultimately brought her fulfillment. 

Today I pray that the good Lord turns your situation from bitter to better. May His abounding hand be upon your life. May every bitter situation be turned to BETTER. May God give us grace and favor like Ruth with wisdom, kindness, patience and peace. May every situation that seems daunting be reversed to greatness. May the Lord give us strength, hope and faith to stand strong in the face of adversary. In Jesus' name amen.