Ruth 1:20-21 (ESV) — She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

The providence of God is the outworking of His eternal plans in time and history. All things pass by the counsel of God’s will and wisdom (Ephesians 1:11). This means that nothing comes to pass unless the LORD wills it to happen. This isn’t always the easiest thing for us to hear because life is filled with challenging and painful moments. Not every providence is pleasant. 

William Cowper, the English poet and hymn writer, knew hard providences. He struggled with mental health problems his entire life. He dealt with bouts of depression and suicidal thoughts most of his adult life. At times, it sent him into a tailspin. He wrote a hymn entitled “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” to capture the sovereignty of God in life, even over difficulties. In one of the lines he uses the phrase “frowning providence.” These frowning providences are those difficult lots in life that God allows to become our reality. 

We see this in our passage today. We read in Ruth 1:20-21, “She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?’”

Naomi says the Almighty dealt bitterly with her. What did she mean? She was talking about the circumstances of her life. She lost a husband and a son. She says the Almighty brought calamity upon her. She is not cursing the LORD or voicing unbelief. No, she is acknowledging that the LORD is over her circumstances. God dealt a frowning providence in her life. 

This is not easy for most professing Christians to embrace. We tend to say God isn’t in control of the bad things, not because Scripture doesn’t teach it, but because we believe we’re somehow protecting God from ill repute by denying His involvement in troubles. But Scripture says God is over all things. Frowning providences are not enjoyable, but He is over them. He has purpose in the pain. There is no senseless suffering in God’s world. He has a plan. In Naomi’s case, the end result would be the pathway to King David that came through her suffering. You can rest assured He has purposes for your pain too.

God's providence encompasses all of life, including challenging and painful moments. Even in frowning providences, God has a purpose and plan, as seen in Naomi's story from the Bible. He works in mysterious ways to bring about His ultimate good.

Tweet This!

Reflection & Journal:
- What is the providence of God? What are frowning providences?
- Why is this teaching difficult for many believers to accept?
- How can you grow in your trust in God’s providence in your life?

Did you miss yesterday's devotional? If so, find it HERE

We make these devotions freely available to thousands of readers daily. If you’d like to help support the ministry, please click here to learn more.