Jesus Can Turn Your Bitter Into Sweet

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

The story of Naomi and Ruth is quite a read in the Bible. Hard times struck these women. Both were widows left with no heirs. But despite the evil that touched their lives, God moved on their behalf to turn bitter into sweet.

Naomi left Moab, the foreign country where her husband and two sons lay buried and returned to her hometown of Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth. Her friends hardly recognized her as they welcomed her home. "This can't be Naomi, can it?" the women asked. She replied, "My name is no longer Naomi (which means sweet). It is now Mara (which means bitter) because God has made my life bitter. I went away complete, but the LORD brought me back bare. "

The immense pain of experiencing the loss of a loved one can change people. Naomi, soaked with sorrow, spoke lies against the nature of God. Her face showed the bitterness in her heart toward God. But in time she began to see the silver lining the Lord was creating. God would use Ruth to bless Naomi. Ruth eventually remarried and had a son whom Naomi would care for and who, in return, would care for her in her old age.

When you think your life has reached a dead end, take heart. Jesus is the resurrection and life. He is the Healer of broken hearts. None of us can escape the sadness of this world. But the Lord is able. Trust Him, lean into Him, and in time, His blessings will overtake you and make you forget the pain of your past. Don't get bitter, friend; stay sweet and get better!