From Bitterness to Blessing

A Bible message by Bayless Conley Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion--Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband. Now at this point Naomi decides to go back into the land of her heritage, to go back into Judah; and, in particular, to Bethlehem, and she kisses her daughters-in-law good-bye. Orpah goes back to her gods and to her people, but Naomi says, Im not going. Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, your God will be my God, and only death will part us. And so the two gals come back into Bethlehem. And we pick it up in verse 19, Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, Is this Naomi? 20 But she said to them, Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Now Naomi means pleasant in the Hebrew language, and Mara means bitter. And I want to talk to you about turning bitterness into blessing. Her statement, the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me, was never meant to be taken as doctrine. Her laying the blame for her tragedies and her losses at the feet of God was never meant to be taken as a revelation of truth. It is merely a historical record of what the woman said during her time of bewilderment. And there is a big difference between that and between doctrine. She didnt really have an understanding of the nature of God. But that aside, truly her life had become one of bitterness. Here she is in a foreign country, she has lost her husband, she has lost her two sons, all means of visible support, and now she is going back to the area that she was raised, to the place that she lived. She has nothing! And when she said, Dont call me Pleasant, anymore; call me Bitter my life has become bitter, she was stating a fact. But the interesting thing, if you read the whole story, in the end God turns it into a blessing. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, marries a guy named Boaz. She becomes the great grandmother of King David, and they prosper and become wealthy, and God blesses them. God certainly turned the bitterness into a blessing. And I want to talk to you for a few minutes about Naomi and some things that she did in order to move from bitterness to sweetness, from bitterness to blessing. And then we are going to look quickly at a couple of other people that went from bitterness to blessing, as well.

If you, in your life right now, are experiencing bitter things maybe the circumstances of your life have turned bitter. Some of you, thats right where you are. Life has become bitter for you. It has become harsh; it has become hard, unmanageable, miserable for some. Ive got good news. Just like God turned it around for Naomi, God can turn it around for you. All right, four things that Naomi did. Number one, the first thing Naomi did right was she came back to her homeland. You know, there is no indication whatsoever that when her husband Elimelech packed the family up and left Bethlehem to go into Moab, an idolatrous land, that God ever led him to do it. There was a famine going on, and he just in his own mind said, Well, this is what we are going to do. Every indication would show us that they were more than likely out of the will of God. Now Im going to make a statement that you need to hear. This is important that she went back to her homeland because much of the time in fact, I will say most of the time Gods blessings in our lives are tied to places. Places are important. Many of Gods blessings in our life are tied to places. When God instructed Elijah, when he was running away from Ahab and Jezebel, God said, Go to the Brook Cherith for I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. All of us have a place called there. God is saying, I have sent my provision for you to a specific place. I have commanded the ravens to go to Cherith. Now you pick another brook, you may be able to drink some water, but you are not going to have any ravens. And the ravens of Gods provision are tied to places. The brook dries up, and then God says, Now, Elijah, go to Zarephath. I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you. And his needs were miraculously met through the hands of that widow. But it was tied to a place. And I think it is important for us to ask ourselves, Am I in the right place? It is not something you determine just by outward circumstances. I mean, when Elimelech left, there was a famine going on. All of us go through rough patches in our life. Thats just a fact. There is not a person here that is exempt from going through storms. You cant determine just by outward things. You need to know in your knower. Let the peace of God act as an umpire in your heart continually, the Bible says, deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your mind. You are to ask God, God, where am I supposed to be? I think even being plugged into the right church is an important thing. Many of Gods blessings are tied to places in our life. That was the first thing she did right. The second thing that Naomi did right is she was grateful even for the smallest token of blessing. She sends Ruth out to go and glean in the fields, actually, behind the harvester. She is picking up any bits of grain that falls to the ground. And I want you to look in Ruth 2:17. It says, So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. I want to stop there. If we took time to read the story, you will find out that what Ruth has kept back now that she is giving Naomi something to eat, basically, the guy that she had been working in his field gave her a little bit of parched barley. A handful of parched grain, and she had been eating that, and she said, You know, I am going to keep some for Naomi. And so she put a little bit in her pocket. I mean, its like youve worked all day, and then you pull out a half a sandwich out of your pocket, and say, Look, I saved this for you. And so there is this little pile of grain that

she has been able to get and a little bit of parched grain in her pocket, you know, Here. I mean, its like a little half a sandwich. And look at Naomis response to that. Verse 19, And her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The mans name with whom I worked today is Boaz. 20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead! And Naomi said to her, This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives. She is grateful. Here is your little half a sandwich, Naomi, and weve got a little bit of grain here. And she says, Blessed be this man who has been kind to us! I mean, a lot of people would have said, Ive come to this now! Here we are back in my hometown, and we are having to get charity from relatives! This is humiliating! Why has God let this happen? Half a sandwich! I used to be in the same town, and we would throw a feast and have a party and have people over, and now I am reduced to eating crusts of bread! Not Naomi. She said, Oh, God, bless this man! He has been so kind to us! Friend, your attitude determines a whole lot in life. I dont think that we should take even the smallest blessings we have for granted, even the little bit of parched grain that we get, so-tospeak. If you thought about it, you have got a few blessings that have already happened to you today that you could be grateful for. Now this is important. Her attitude was important in taking her from this place of bitterness to blessing, and we see a shift in her attitude beginning to happen. Grateful for even the smallest token of blessing. And, number three, we find that she was not absorbed with herself. Look in Ruth 3:1. She was not self-absorbed. Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? She wasnt drowning in her own troubles. She started thinking about her daughter-in-law. But many people, I mean, they are so used to singing the blues, they dont know there is any other kind of music! Drowning in their own sorrows, having a pity party. And, friend, God doesnt come to pity parties. Some of you who are going through a rough patch, the smartest thing you could do is start getting interested in somebody else and helping somebody else going through a rough time. The Bible says when you water others, you will be watered also, yourself. Get your eyes off of your own problem, off of the things that are going on in your life, and help somebody out who is less fortunate than you. Naomi is not thinking about herself. She says, Ruth, I need to do something for you. We need to think about your future. She was not self-absorbed. She put her eyes on someone else and wanted to help them. And the fourth thing and this is important: Naomi knew Gods word. We dont have time to read it all, but Naomi understood that it was the scriptural responsibility of the nearest relative to take Ruth for his wife. It turned out that Boaz was the guy, and she

orchestrated and strategized the thing very well. And it turned into their deliverance and their prosperity. But, friend, she found the answer in Gods word. And I want to tell you, the answers to whatever you are going through if its marital, if its with your kids, if its financial, if you are grappling with sin in your life the answer is in the Book. Naomi went from bitterness to blessing because she knew Gods word. I had a friend tell me one time he told me a story about an old attorney. He had been very, very successful in his law practice; in fact, just a stellar career. And a young attorney came up to him and said, Can you tell me your secret? How is it that you have won so many cases? He says, Well, Ill tell you. Three things. Ive got three keys to my success. He says, Number one, I search the law books. And if there is a law that covers the case, I present the law as thoroughly as I can. I have won 100 percent of those cases where I had a law that covers the case. He said, Number two, if I cant find a specific law that covers it, I gather all the facts, and I present the facts. And I win most of those cases. He said, If I cant find a law and I cant get many facts, I just beat my fist on the table and make a lot of noise. And I win a few of those cases. You know, I think with most Christians, they are just beating their fists on the table and making a lot of noise. We have got a lot of Pentecostal noisemakers in the church, when it comes to prayer and everything else, when they should be searching through the law to see if they can find something in the Scriptures that covers their situation. The Bible says that we have been made partakers of Gods divine nature through these exceeding great and precious promises. Friend, the promise is your pipeline to Gods nature, and Gods nature is the answer for every need you will ever have. Lets move on to someone else; but first, just read in the end of the book with me in chapter 4. Look how this turned around for Naomi. Ruth 4:13, So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-inlaw, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him. 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. And if you follow that lineage on down, it ends up at the Lord Jesus Christ. You talk about blessing! Man, Naomi got blessed! Lets look at another person. Look at the Book of Job with me right before Psalms and Im going to go quickly. Job, chapter 23. Now Job is someone whose life certainly became bitter. In one day he lost all of his children, ten of them. If youve lost a loved one, someone who is close to you, you know the inner anguish of heart that you go through. And if you havent experienced it, there is no way you can know. And here is Job. There is ten coffins laid out, and he has got all of his kids in front of him in those coffins. He has lost them all in a day. He lost all of his wealth in a day. He lost all of his possessions in a day. He lost his health in a day. He has become the taunt of little children, sitting on an ash heap scraping boils with a piece of broken pottery. The only person that is still alive of his family is his wife, and the only record we have of anything she said, she looked at Job and said, Why dont you just curse God and die? Job said no less than six times in the Book, My life is bitter.

But you read the end of the story, and at Jobs latter end, God blessed him more than at his beginning. He went from bitterness to blessing, but it didnt just happen automatically. I want to share with you three things that Job did that were very, very important in bringing him from a state of bitterness to blessing. Number one, he stopped accusing God of being unjust. In fact, he stopped talking altogether, and he started listening. Look with me in chapter 23, and this is just one segment of some of the things that Job said, and you will get an idea of his state of mind. Job 23:1, Then Job answered and said: 2 Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning. 3 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, Now hes talking about God here 3 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! 4 I would present my case before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say to me. 6 Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me. 7 There the upright could reason with Him, And I would be delivered forever from my Judge. Not the wisest kinds of things to be saying to God. Basically, God, You are unjust. If I could find You, I would lay my arguments out, and You wouldnt be able to answer a word. Well, God does give Job his opportunity. God turns up! Look in chapter 40 gives Job his chance. Here I am, Job. You wanted to talk to Me? All right, what are your arguments? Job 40:1, Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said: 2 Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it. 3 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 4 Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. 5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further. Very, very smart, Job. Very, very smart. The Bible says in Proverbs, Even a fool is considered wise when he holds his peace. God turns up, says, All right, Job, you say Ive been unjust, you say Ive been cruel, you say Ive been unfair. You have got some arguments. Here is your opportunity. Job says, Im vile. Puts his hand over his mouth, doesnt say anything. And some of you, Ill tell you what, you need to stop accusing God, even if you dont understand whats been going on in your life. Stop pointing your finger at God, and start listening. It could be the wisest thing you ever do. And then Job took it a step farther from that. He actually admitted that he had been wrong in blaming God, and he repented. Job is speaking in Job 42:3, You asked, Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me (or too deep for me), which I did not know.

Now I want to stop right there. You know, people just like with Naomi have taken statements that Job has made and made doctrine of them, taken them as a revelation of truth. And they didnt read at the end, Job says, I didnt know what I was talking about. And God even said, You dont know what you are talking about. You give counsel without knowledge, and Job said, I uttered what I didnt understand. And yet we will take a statement that Job made as an utter revelation of truth. And look how it ends up. Job says in Job 42:5, I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes. He admitted he had been wrong in blaming God, and he repents! Some people have never learned how to repent. They have never learned how to offer an apology. Some folks when they do offer the rose of an apology, they always make sure that the thorns of self-righteousness are still intact. They offer you a rose of apology, but they offer it thorns first: Yeah, Im sorry, but you really hurt me. I know I was wrong. But if you hadnt done that Im sorry, but anyone else would have done the same thing if they were in my situation. God, I repent. But its not really my fault. Job said, Im vile. I put my hand over my mouth. I have spoken without knowledge. I repent! It is a glorious day when you can offer an apology and offer repentance unqualified. Not, Well, I was wrong, but you were wrong, too. You havent learned how to apologize yet. Job repented. And the third thing he did is he prayed for his friends that had accused him and made his life even more miserable. He had some friends that came to comfort him, but they ended up tormenting him. They began to blame God, as well, and said, Well, God has done it to you sure enough, but it is because you are a wicked man, Job. Thats why God has done it. You have turned away orphans! You have been cruel to widows! Job has lost all ten of his children, all of his wealth, his position, everything! He has lost his health, he is sitting on the garbage heap scraping himself, and one of his friends says, Youre a liar! And you deserve twice as bad! Friend, its in the Book. You read the Book of Job. Its in there. And then God says, All right, Job, I want you to pray for these men. Job didnt pray, Oh, God, kill them! He offered sacrifice to cover their sins. Look in Job 42:10, And the LORD restored Jobs losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Some of you may have had some people who have made your life pretty miserable. A defining moment will come when you pray for them. Jesus said, Bless those that curse you. Pray for those that despitefully use you. In Matthew 26:34, Jesus said to Peter, You will deny Me three times before the rooster crows. Peter says, No, Ill die with you!

And we know the story. Jesus has been arrested. Peter is there by the fire, and this girl says, I know you. You were with Jesus. He said, No, I never heard of Him. Jesus who? Another guy comes up, says, No, you are a Galilean. Your accent betrays you. You were with Him. Peter starts to curse and swear and says, I dont know who you are talking about! Blankety, blank, blank, I dont know who youre talking about! Suddenly the rooster crows. And the Bible says Peter went out and wept bitterly. Friend, the rooster crows for all of those that fail God. You come to a certain and a sudden realization that you have failed Him, and it can be a very bitter pill to swallow. Something that you failed to do that the Lord instructed you to do or something that you did that you know you shouldnt have done. I have shared this before, but it was right here in the City of Los Alamitos. I was at the tailor shop with my wife one day, years back. I needed to have a coat fixed. And the guy is in there smoking a cigar. You know, I mean, you are going to make all the stuff smell like a cigar in your tailor shop. It was a dumb thing to do. But this guy, hes the owner of the tailor shop, smoking a cigar, and hes cussing, taking Gods name in vain really, an intimidating figure. And the Holy Spirit spoke to me so clearly, said, You need to witness to him. Tell him about Jesus. And I didnt do it. This guy is cussing away, and he has got his cigar going, and Im putting the coat on the counter, talking to him, and hes cussing again. The Holy Spirit said to me again, Talk to him about Jesus. I didnt do it. I was intimidated. I went outside, Im opening the door for my wife, getting her in the car, and the Holy Spirit said to me again, Go back in and tell him about Jesus. I didnt do it. I got in the car, started to drive away, and the burden lifted. I forgot about it until the next morning. I got a call from someone the next morning, who says, Did you hear what happened to the tailor this morning? I said, No, what? He said, He walked into his shop at 8:00 a.m. and fell over dead of a heart attack. The rooster crowed for me. And like Peter, I went home, I knelt down, and I wept bitterly. I looked at my hands, and I saw that mans blood running through my fingers, and I said, Jesus, never again. If I ever have the slightest impression to tell someone about You, I will obey You. Somebody says, What did you do, Pastor? I got forgiveness just like Peter did. I cant change what happened. Its water under the bridge. But the blood of Jesus Christ does cleanse from all sin. Thank God for it! And Peter received his forgiveness. And who do we see as the fiery preacher on the Day of Pentecost leading three thousand people to Christ? Its Peter! Who becomes the pillar in the church, writes several books of the Bible? Its Peter! Thank God! And if you are wallowing under a cloud of condemnation and life has become bitter because you know you failed God, friend, receive your forgiveness, forsake your sin, and get out and do something for God. Its not over! God has got a blessing for you yet. If you would look with me very quickly at Exodus, chapter 15, I will close with these verses. Exodus 15:22 says, So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.

Which, again, is the Hebrew word for bitterness. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet Now if your life is bitter today for any reason perhaps something that we mentioned, maybe something we didnt touch on at all if the waters of life have become bitter for you, if you will cry out to God, my friend, Im going to tell you what God will do: He will show you a tree. Its a tree that stood on Calvarys hill covered with the blood of the Son of God where Jesus Christ died a bitter and an agonizing death, and He drank to the bitter dregs the cup of the wrath of God against sin. And, friend, He died in bitterness that you might know the sweetness of fellowship with God. The Bible says in Galatians 3:13 that He became a curse for you that your life might be blessed. And if you will apply the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvarys tree to the bitter waters of your life, they can turn sweet, my friend. Im telling you, they can turn sweet.
Copyright 2003 Answers with Bayless Conley