Ruth 1:19-22
Naomi means pleasant. And there was a time when her demeanor aligned with her name. It is plausible that her life had not been easy since the birth of her sons. Yet joy and contentment marked her walk despite her hardships.
Naomi allowed herself to become bitter. She chose to embrace sadness, regret, and fierce rage because of her losses.
Naomi did not know how to maintain her joy or her sense of well-being in the face of her disappointments. She thought she had no choice but to be sad.
But even sorrow is a choice. The disciplined believer can learn to manage her sorrow so that bitterness never settles into her spirit.
This is one of the benefits of suffering. By suffering God teaches us how to choose and secure joy and contentment even when life gets hard.
Choose to be pleasant.