I was surprised to learn that the book of Ruth provided insight for the question, Where are you going to live? The three widows of Ruth embodied classic paths that widows take after a loss:
- Orpah chose to remain with the familiar.
- Ruth chose to risk an entirely new life.
- Naomi chose to return to her roots.
Widows of today do the same—remain, risk, or return. Considering the three biblical widows and their choices helped me with some of my own decisions. I believe we can examine these three paths to help clarify choices when we feel pressured to answer clamoring questions.
Always remember your way back home. Sometimes we need to go back to our roots and let God use our family to care for us. I wonder if Naomi had to be stripped of all pride and self-sufficiency before she would return. Is that what it would take for some of us to return home?
Whether you remain in the land like Orpah, risk an entirely new life like Ruth, or return to your roots like Naomi, there is no safer place than God’s will. As the three widows emulate, we can make different choices. God’s will is different for each of us.
How do we know which choice is the one God wants for us?
Here are the factors to consider in choosing your path. His will is made plain by his Word, the circumstances he has placed us in, the counsel of godly people around us, the inner confidence he gives as we consider our various options, and the strength of our feet.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(chapter 7 of Postcards, and Ruth 1:14-15)
Consider the three paths:
remaining where you are
risking an entirely new life returning to your roots
Which appeals to you most and why? Which frightens you the most and why? Discuss with a friend, pastor, or counselor your motivations and how to discern the will of God.
List some pros and cons of relocating, even if you don’t think you will. You don’t need to have a place in mind where you would go in order to do this exercise. We never know what the future may hold. If an opportunity to leave ever comes knocking, having sorted your thoughts out ahead of time will prove invaluable.
PRAYER
Dear Lord,
Please reveal to me the path I should take. Do you want me to remain with the familiar, risk a new sort of life, or return to my roots? I trust you with all my heart. I praise you for your promise to direct my path. Help me acknowledge you and find the path of your will. Amen.
I did not have any doubts when I decided to sell my house and travel in an RV. But now my daughter is hinting at me settling down near her and the new grandbaby. I have no desire to settle down, but don't know if I will change my mind after I start to travel again. I am near her now to help her move. The problem is that she moves a lot from state to state and I feel it is easier to be near her if I am in an RV. I am not ready to buy furniture and a car and to rent an apartment or condo. I feel that I still need time to myself to figure out the next step in my life.
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