When the Way Up is Down - Ruth 1:14-22
Dr. Kevin D. Glenn – Lead Pastor

Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah are facing a moment of truth. Their lives have been devastated, their pain is almost palpable, and they express doubt about their relationships, their faith, and their hope for a better future.

But how do they find hope? Through uncertainty, emptiness, and grief. What can we learn from this? What can Ruth’s story teach us about this counter-intuitive way forward?

1. Our moment of truth is a measure of

. - Ruth 1:15-18, Daniel 3:16-18, Esther 4:15-16
• A decision to trust is a decision to risk.
• We all trust someone or something; the question is, are they trustworthy?
• Committed trust is what gave these and so many others the courage to move forward, even when doing so involved risk and uncertainty.

2. Being emptied is not the same as being

. - Ruth 1:19-21
• God prepares us to be filled up by allowing us to be poured out.

3. Making things

for you never gets

Reveal Answer

for God. - Ruth 1:22, 1 Corinthians 15:20-21
• When you feel empty and bitter and afflicted and abandoned, remember that through faith in Christ, even in those weakest moments, your harvest, your new life, is within reach.

Questions to Dig Deeper
• What relationship do you see between trust and certainty? Do you agree that trust in God is not risk-free? Why or why not?
• Have you tried to keep commitments without trust? How did it work out?
• How do you process the tension between Naomi’s faith and doubt? How can her moment of bitterness still inspire Ruth’s commitment and declaration of trust?
• Is Naomi’s perception of God’s attitude toward her accurate? Was God “against” her, had God “afflicted” her, had God “brought misfortune” upon her?
• Discuss the statement, “They learned to view their circumstances through the filter of God’s character rather than viewing God through the filter of their circumstances.”
• How do you process the idea of God emptying us so that He can fill us?
• What is the significance of Ruth and Naomi’s arrival at harvest time? Did Naomi’s despair change what God has prepared for her?
• Do you trust God’s desire to bring hope and harvest to you? What is keeping you from the hope and new life God has prepared for you?