Overcoming The Past

Suffering should always point us to God’s provision and care for us.

Opening Discussion

What common ways do you see people in society responding to moments of crisis? How do professing Christians tend to respond in the similar circumstances? How similar or different does that tend to look?

Read: Ruth 1:1-5

Examining The Text

What drove Elimelech and Naomi to leave Bethlehem for Moab?

Look at Judges 17. What behavior of Micah did the Levite from Bethlehem affirm and endorse?

How did Naomi’s 2 sons replicate the errors of Judges 17 (glance ahead to Ruth 1:15)?

Look at Deuteronomy 11:13-17. What might have been a reason for the circumstance that drove Elimelech and Naomi to Moab?

Making Application

What are some common idols that people in our society are drawn to?

There can be matters that can be elevated to “idol” level in our churches—that is, that they share significance with God and clear obedience to His Word in the life of the congregation. What might some of those things be in your observation?

What can some of the negative consequences be when those issues take on more significance than is appropriate?

Examining My Heart

How do you react when faced with declining, disagreeable situations? Is your first instinct to change your environment, or to evaluate the trajectory of your life to see where your lack of obedience to God may have led to this point? Is God trying to get your attention? Are you willing to listen?

Read: Ruth 1:6-18

Examining the Text

Ruth 1:6 gives us the first mention of God in this book. In what context is He mentioned? How does this play into Naomi’s decision to return to Bethlehem?

· In Ruth 1:13, Naomi seems to confirm that the unfortunate circumstances her family has experienced are due to the chastening hand of God. List some of the demonstrations of judgment that Naomi and her family have experienced due to their abandonment of God and His covenant.

Making Application

Adversity can be used by God in our lives. In this case, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem, to reverse the course that had been set by her deceased husband. Why is affliction such an effective motivator? Is there a way we can avoid the experience of God’s chastening hand?

Examining My Heart

The choices Elimelech made had devastating consequences not only on him, but his entire family. How have your sinful choices impacted you, and others around you? Is God calling you to repentance? What changes can you make?

Examining the Text

Naomi is at a stage of grief that exhibits great despair, frustration and even anger. But there is also indication of trust in God. What indications of this are evident in this part of the passage?

“Return” is a significant term used here in chapter one. For Naomi, it indicates the process of repentance has begun. The term is also used as she encourages Orpah and Ruth to return to their mother’s houses—presumably to find new husbands and resume some sense of normalcy.

After some initial resistance, Orpah eventually obeys the direction of Naomi and returns to Moab. Ruth is another story. She refuses to return, instead demonstrating humble repentance and tremendous faith. What does she abandon, and what does she embrace in their places?

Making Application

Repentance is more than verbalizing regret. It involves life-altering change. Naomi demonstrated it; Ruth did, too. How can we distinguish the difference in our own lives?

Ruth is drawn to follow God even when her exposure to His followers have been some very flawed people. What comfort can we draw from this?

Examining My Heart

We can often air our frustrations and dissatisfaction with life situations in unfruitful ways, sharing our complaints to neighbors, family or co-workers, or venting on a social media outlet, for example. Do you even consider taking these problems to the One Who can actually intervene? Remember...

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

How might your personal adversity be an opportunity for you to talk to someone else about the Lord? Scripture tells us that we need to be prepared for such occasions:

Colossians 4:6 ESV

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Consider in advance what you might say in a time of difficulty, and perhaps even practice with a fellow believer.