It’s Time to Move! Sample

  

Sometimes we falsely assume that if we follow God correctly, it will all be easy sailing. However, the stories of Ruth and Joseph show us that isn’t true.

Naomi makes a plan to provide for herself and Ruth through marriage to Boaz. However, they soon discover that Naomi has a closer relative who will likely choose to take over Naomi’s family name.

Joseph made the right choice when he confronted and then ran from Potiphar’s wife. Yet Joseph is falsely accused of assault and thrown in prison, where he stays for years.

If we stopped here, these stories would seem depressing. Why try to change the narrative of our life if we end up beaten down each time?

Naomi and Joseph soon discover an important truth: Setbacks are part of the journey, and they are not final. Seeming setbacks are actually divine set-ups which position us to receive the harvest God has promised. 

God uses seasons of setback to free us for greater possibilities in the future by first liberating our minds. Sometimes this means using our failures to point out areas where he desires for us to grow, but that growth can only manifest if we surrender to the process of change. Other times, it’s the process of patient endurance itself that prepares us.

Naomi and Ruth decide to wait and trust, and the next day they discover that the other relative isn’t interested in Naomi’s inheritance (which included marriage to Ruth). And in Joseph’s case, his faithfulness through trial led to an unexpected opportunity that exalted Joseph as the second in command over all Egypt. 

Don’t miss the point—all of Joseph’s setbacks prepared him for his season of exaltation. His posture of unwavering faith in God through it all preserved the future God was leading him towards. Because Joseph had found God to be faithful even in his trials, he wasn’t scared of the famine to come. He was ready.

And what about Naomi? Her story begins with tragedy and death but ends with joy and life. Naomi becomes a grandmother, and through Ruth becomes connected to the lineage of Jesus. There are generational implications attached to how we endure hardship.

If you look back over the book of Ruth, you’ll notice that God is hardly mentioned. Yet God is present and working through all of Naomi and Ruth’s circumstances, even when they can’t see it. They faced hardship, took action, trusted God through setback, and experienced exaltation. 

This is the destiny of all God’s children who trust in Him.

Scripture: Ruth 4

Scripture: Genesis 40-41

Discussion question: What setbacks are you currently experiencing, and how are you holding onto hope in the midst of your struggle?