Monday 23 February 2015

LOOKING BEYOND YOUR NEEDS EVEN WHEN IN PAIN

When your pain is too strong, most of the times, we are so blinded by the pain...
When one is distressed, it looks like your situation is the worst in the world, and you tend to concentrate on getting a way out of your situation, or you are busy welling up self-pity! WHY ME....
Self pity, Anger, Frustration, Finger pointing, Jealousy towards those who have what you don't
Then you start to take it out on the people around you......as if they are the ones who caused you the problem.
Naomi, a woman of many sorrows.
Left her kinsmen a fully fulfilled woman. In those times when having sons was everything you needed to be a proud woman. Sons went to war. Sons worked on the farms, if you have them, you are sure to be rich....Naomi, had her hopes raised of being well taken care of in her old age. She must have been the envy of many of the women of the time.
But then, it all changed, she lost her husband suddenly. Consoled that all was not lost, she still had her two sons...who took wives and she was reassured that there was hope.
In not too long ten years later, SUDDENLY, BOTH SONS DIED!
Dont even think, what was going though her mind. ALL THAT SHE HAS LIVED FOR WAS GONE.....
Naomi , sad and mournful made a move to return, empty-handed , back to her people.
Ruth 1:20-21 MSG ;But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Bitter. The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow. I left here full of life, and God has brought me back with nothing but the clothes on my back. Why would you call me Naomi? God certainly doesn’t. The Strong One ruined me.”
But what Naomi did in spite of her disaster is the lesson from today's teaching........LOOKING BEYOND YOUR NEEDS EVEN WHEN IN PAIN.
Ruth 3:1-4 NLT
One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”
Ruth 4:13-17 NLT
So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the lord , who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
Naomi cared less about herself now, she focused on Ruth......to be fair, Ruth was no longer her business. The men in the family were supposed to sort out her redemption.
But Naomi, put herself in a position to restore Ruth to favour and married life.
She told her how to even make herself attractive. Haaaaaa.....when most mother in laws will still be cursing you that you brought bad luck to their family!!!!!!!!!! And the talk about any other man having you is like an abomination.
This action gave Naomi her own life back. The same people who may have gossiped that she killed her husband and two sons came back to celebrate the restoration in her family. They proclaimed NAOMI HAS A SON AGAIN......This son produced Jesus in their lineage.
What is your reaction towards life challenges?
How do you relate with people when things are not going the way you planned?
When your husband is misbehaving, the house-help suffers calamity.
When you desire something and you don't, all the people who have the same thing you desire, becomes targets of your hostility. You pull them down and hate them.
Your attitude towards failure and delay may have a lot to with why your answers have not come.
God is the one who restores. God is the one who replenishes....
Sorrow should not change who your are, it should not make you who you are not. Let your focus be on the GOD WHO RESTORES....
Accused and ashamed, removed from your place of glory and honour.....LET GOD HAVE A GOOD REASON TO RESTORE YOU....LET YOUR ATTITUDE BE RIGHT. ...even if you are weak and miss it, still His mercy is available....Obtain His mercy for your past ignorance and step forward. Refuse to be defined by the failures and disappointment that life has thrown your way. He who restored Naomi after all hope was lost is able to reward you. Sis Bola.

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