The Bitterness of Life

Kyle Kauffman // October 5th 2025

Ruth 1:1–5 introduces us to Naomi’s story—a woman whose life is marked by bitter suffering. She faces famine, becomes a refugee in a foreign land, and then endures the unimaginable grief of losing her husband and both sons. Her pain is real, raw, and relatable. Like Naomi, many of us know what it feels like to walk through seasons of sorrow and loss. And those seasons of suffering are often marked by more questions than answers as we struggle to understand why God is allowing us to face this suffering. This passage also teaches us that our response to suffering is never neat or predictable. Grief is messy. Some wounds linger for a lifetime, and that’s okay. It’s right and good to mourn, to lament, and to be honest about our pain. At the same time, we can cling to hope. We can grieve deeply and still trust in God’s presence and purpose. Naomi’s story, though filled with loss, is not without hope—and neither is ours. Our most bitter chapters are never the final word, because we serve a God who restores, redeems, and walks with us every step of the way. 

Ruth 1:1-5, 19-22