"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "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 misfortunes upon me." Ruth 1:20-21
Things are not always what they appear to be. Naomi believed her life was empty. In her grief over the loss of not only her husband but both her sons, she could not see how God had filled her life. There she was, living in a foreign land, and the three most important men in her life were gone. She could have been completely alone, yet God had given her two daughters-in-law who stood by her.
In truth, she was never empty. She simply couldn't see it, and normally when someone can't see God's goodness, he will do whatever he can to live up to his own expectations.
Naomi tried it. She tried to send away those closest to her. It was as if she was attempting to create the life she thought she had. But it wasn't what she had! She wasn't empty. Ruth stood by her - even to the point of leaving everything behind.
Lord, give me eyes that see Your fullness. I am so blinded at times by my own perceptions that I find myself creating misfortune. For years I seemed to believe my life was empty. Despite a wonderful helpmate and two fabulous children, I could only see what was missing. Forgive me for the ways I have disregarded Your blessing. Help me to redefine "empty." Help me to see how full life really is. Help me to teach others to see it, too.