I’ve spent the past few weeks studying the book of Ruth. It’s a tiny book tucked away in the Old Testament that you could easily miss if you didn’t intentionally sit down to study it. Though it’s a small book the message in Ruth is powerful.

One interesting thing to note is that Ruth is the only book in the Old Testament named after a non-Isrealite. It is also interesting to know that the book of Ruth was often read immediately after Proverbs 31 during jewish festivals. In fact many scholars believe that the woman described in Proverbs 31 was Ruth. Ruth was a wise woman with high character so either way we would be wise to learn from and imitate her.

The book of Ruth has reminded me of several things but one of the overarching themes has been how God works supernaturally through the simple faith of ordinary people. This book is about how God used difficult circumstances for the good of His people. And if God can do that with Ruth, He can do that with you too friend.

I love how the ladies at Daily Grace Co describe Ruth in their “Fields of Grace” study,

“The book of Ruth is a sweet glimpse at who God is and how He works.”

While there is so much I could focus on when it comes to the book of Ruth and her character, today I want to take a look at her life of faith.

One thing we can take away and always remember from the book of Ruth is that: God is working even when we cannot clearly see it. He is working all things for our good. (Romans 8:28)

He is doing something.

In Ruth 2:1-3 we see Ruth take it on herself to go out and graze the fields. She didn’t sit around and sulk because times were hard, she went to work. She put her head down and knew God would meet her there. Many people think that Ruth went to the field intending to meet Boaz, but she didn’t. She went to the field unsure, hungry and in a foreign land. She was simply doing what SHE COULD. She was choosing to be faithful in the mundane task and trusting that God would faithfully meet her there.

It reminds me of the concept from Jeff Olson’s book, The Slight Edge, of mastering the mundane.

Mastering the mundane simply mean developing personal discipline. It means having the inner drive to show up and do the work, even without knowing what the harvest or outcome will be. Ever hear the saying “it’s the little things that count?” It’s true and powerful. Growth in our walk with the Lord, our faith, our trust, spiritually, mentally, phyically- all of it is achieved one day at a time, one action at a time.

 

In our pinterest, instagram culture we idolize the idea of sparkly FUN things. But the reality is that God’s greatest work is often done in the bleakest of situations. We see this with Ruth and we can trust Him in our situations as well.

In faithfully showing up and filling up on the Word even when you don’t walk away with an AH-HA moment, God is working.

In parenting, God is working.

In washing more dishes and clothes, God is working.

In faithfully stewarding our business and remaining consistent, God is working.

In serving our families by cooking dinner and doing home work, God is working.

We might not know what the outcome is going to be but showing up faithfully to LOVE GOD and as an overflow LOVE PEOPLE will make us more reliant upon Him.

In what small daily tasks can you be faithful?

We must learn to master the mundane if we expect Him to give us anything more to steward.

Cheering you on, sister!

With Joy,

Caroline