Ruth 1:5, Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

After ten years of building a life in Moab, the unthinkable happened: Naomi lost both of her sons! The weight of her loss is difficult to fathom. Now she was stripped of her family and her security. In that culture, a woman without a husband or sons was destitute, especially in a foreign land. There were no resumes to send out or jobs to apply for.

While it is easy for us to wonder why she didn’t pack up and head for Bethlehem immediately, really, who can blame her? We have all been there ~ making survival choices based on the heavy circumstances that surrounded us at the time. Life has a way sometimes of throwing so many struggles, heartaches, and storms at you until even the mere thought of needing to act or simply make a decision feels like too much. That is where Naomi appears to be. It’s that moment when you cry out to God, “Please, just give me one break or positive moment or answer to give me strength to go on.”

Have you ever been there? It’s those times when nothing in your life makes any sense, and your world is falling apart until you find yourself asking, “Where are you, God?” I think most of us have at some point… 

I am not sure why we insist on trying to relate to God by trying to bring Him down to our level and our way of thinking and doing things. We anticipate that His response will match how other people have responded to us. We try to understand everything based on our past experiences in life instead of basing it on who He is and His love for us. We cannot comprehend His patience and love because it is beyond anything we have ever known outside of Him. 

As it says inIsaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  

As we develop a better understanding of our Holy, Gracious, Merciful, Loving, and Mighty God, then we will stop expecting Him to do or see things our way or in our time…

There are times when God will allow you to get to the end of yourself and everything you think you know, to help you grow in your understanding of who He is. Then you can grow to a whole new level in your walk with Him. He wants to do a new thing in your life, but you won’t get there with your old way of thinking.

(Excerpts from: Handfuls of His Purpose Just for You. by Janet Scott)