Women’s Bible Study: Ruth 1:19-22

New City Church Milton Keynes

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be continuing to look at Ruth 1. If you can, read or listen to again the first chapter of Ruth before you dive in here.

I hope you were able to listen to the talk on Ruth and below you will find further questions and thoughts to help you dig deeper into some of the things I talked about. Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Ruth 1:20-21 Naomi says, “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

How have you been angry or disappointed in God? Were you honest with God about it? Do you feel it’s okay to be angry/disappointed with God?

Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

How does this Psalm encourage you to keep moving forward in the middle of difficult times? How can you practically do this?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’

How does this truth challenge you? Are you okay with letting go and letting God have control because his timing is perfect?

I hope this truth encourages/challenge you. It is hard to let go and give it all to God. It can be scary but remember that His timing is perfect and remember who your God is! If you’re finding it hard, remind yourself of who he is, challenge yourself to look throughout the Bible finding that out! And then trust him with it all!

Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011
Minter, K, 2009, Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy, LifeWay Press, Tennessee