Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy

The new Bible study I am doing with the gorgeous "Knot" ladies in my Sunday school class at church.

I thought I would take you along in my journey on this study with my thoughts etc. Sometimes it takes me to let things "sink" in or type it out to figure out what "this all really means", to me at least. God's word can mean so many different things to different people. 

Session 1: Two Journeys

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has values for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8

Have you ever been up late at night watching the infomercial of excessively greased up men and women working their "core", and for only 6 easy payments of 39.95 YOU TO CAN LOOK JUST LIKE THIS?!!? (lol) But your intrigued anyway. You buy the program and a couple weeks in your ready to give up because the results just aren't what you'd expect. 

WELL DUH! 

Like all things strengthening "your core" and strengthening your walk with Jesus takes time. The results aren't always visible, it's not always easy, you might feel like you don't always have the time, or the energy. But it always seems once you finally go to the "gym" you get more energy, you feel better, after a while you can visually see the results, and everyone is benefiting. So for a fitness fanatic like myself I can relate to this. And I say feel the burn ladies!!!! You might be sore tomorrow but in the long run it's worth it! (That was a metaphor in case you didn't catch that).

Another part of the study touched me and it basically gives the example of Naomi and her journey from Bethlehem to Moab and then her journey from Moab back to Bethlehem. 

Sometimes we lose faith in God because difficult things are happening to us and we think we know better so we leave where we are to find an easy place. Even if we don't feel called to be there. Somehow I related this story line to leaving home. As a teenager I basically had a countdown of when I could move out, because I couldn't wait to come and go and I please, and it would just be more fun. In fact I practically moved out while I was still in high school. I would just come home for showers or clothes and then be gone again. Looking back now I can see why this specific time I lost my relationship with God. Because I wanted to follow my own path (which let me tell you was NOT GOOD..ugh that was such a horrible time) and in it I lost myself and God. I also took this time to weep backward (booo me). Thing things that were happening we hard and I cried but never moved forward. Eventually I moved on and cried forward. It was a lot of crying in both directions but like Kelly Minter says " Although there will be weeping in this life, the direction in which we weep is what truly matters....It is possible to cry and walk." Then when I realized things were greener on the other side I went back. But I wasn't following my spiritual needs then either but my personal needs home. Coincidentally the song that immediately popped into my head when I was reading this part was "The house that Built Me" by Miranda Lambert, who is from my hometown, where my parents live. Weird. 

I leave this final study with these realizations. 1- Don't give up because your results aren't immediate. God sometimes as a long term plan that involves just making it until you reach his fantastic plans for you. 2. Don't find an easy way out, when it's not God's way. 3. Bad things happen they just do, but shutting out the world is not doing anyone any good. especially if your shutting out God. Weep forward my friends. You can do it! 

Food for thought:

"It's easy to kid ourselves and justify our behavior when our hearts aren't really committed to God. But when we grasp His love and the truth that obedience is for our freedom, we will change our circumstances to protect our environment to obey."