what is in a name?

I have recently started one of the “Known by Name” studies that Kasey Van Norman and two other authors had written. When I first started this study, I had NO idea how much I needed every word. There are three studies: Naomi, Rahab, and Hagar. I started with Naomi and how “when I feel worthless, God says I’m enough”.

Being one of my favorite books of the Bible, I have read through Ruth SO many times. But this time, it was different. I always looked at Ruth and her playing the biggest role. However, Naomi also plays a pretty big role. Naomi lost not just her husband, but also both of her sons. She was living in a city that was not her home. She felt alone and worthless. How often do I feel that now?

Let me ask you a personal question. How often do YOU feel like that now?

If you read Ruth 1:19-22, you see where Naomi was so completely distraught and felt so worthless that she even wanted to change her name. Back then, your name was your identity. Your identity was found in your husband and your name. Naomi meant pleasant. But she wanted to change her name to Mara which means bitter. I looked at that for quite some time. Abigail means father’s joy; to give joy. However, lately I have felt more like a Mara than an Abigail.

As a minister’s wife, I know that I am suppose to be one of the most joyful around. But I am human. I have felt a lot like my spiritual growing may be stumped. I have felt like I can not do enough for my husband or family. I have felt, honestly, just alone and drowning. I started to be able to relate to Naomi probably more than I should. I felt her loneliness. I felt her pain. I heard her cries for help. She was alone and hurting.

I have been so bitter. I have turned my anger into an angry heart…a bitter heart. I started causing frustration in my marriage and relationships. I started to lose myself through that bitterness. Through my anger, I did not let myself lament at home. I ran from what God was preparing before me. I am so thankful for a God that never leaves, not forsakes me. I am thankful for a God that forgives.

lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

When I say ” lament at home”, I mean the place where you are covered by the most precious hands and love…the church. Let your church in. God created the church for accountability, family, and discipleship. The church is not the building…it is the family of believers that come together. So lean on the church, they are who God put in your path. LAMENT AT HOME.

We should not look at these painful moments as ones that stand in our way or ones that bring us down. In fact, they are the ones that God is using to prepare our hearts of what is to come. Instead of running from God, run to Him. He is standing there with open arms waiting on YOU to quit running. He is bringing you where you need to be. Like Naomi, he brought Ruth and Naomi too Bethlehem at the beginning of the harvest (Ruth 1:22). Why is that verse important? Well, why do we have a harvest? Harvest is when we are blessed, God provides. God brought them at the BEGINNING of the harvest…not the middle, not the end, but at the beginning. He showed them even through those time, that HE was still providing and blessing Naomi. Even when Ruth had her son with Boaz…HE. BLESSED. NAOMI.

So remember when I said earlier that I always read Ruth as the main point, then I said that Naomi also played the biggest role. Well, God is the biggest role. He never left them, and prepared their hearts for what was lying ahead. Just like with whatever you are going through, HE will never leave you and HE is preparing you for what lies ahead. He is with you through every step of the loss of family, infertility, loss of your job, health, or anything that is in “the way”.

Do you need prayer? Do you need someone to lament with? I am here for you, sister. Praying for you daily. You are not alone. You are SO loved.

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