Naomi was speechless at Ruth’s commitment to her and God (Ruth 1:8). There wasn’t even a thank you.

I. Bitter (Ruth 1:19). Arriving in Bethlehem, the women were shocked to see Naomi. She was no longer “pleasant” as her name meant. She was without her husband and sons, but there was a Moabitess.
Naomi rejected being called “pleasant” but insisted being called Mara (bitter). Marah was the place where only days after God parted the Red Sea and killed all the Egyptians, that Israel complained bitterly against God (Ex 15:23-24). Unlike the Prodigal, Naomi’s body was in the house of her Father, but her mind was still in the pig pen (Lk 15:17-20).

II. Blame (Ruth 1:20-21). Naomi gave four reasons for her bitterness. (1) YHWH (the God who makes and keeps covenants, Ex 3:14) was bitter toward her; (2) El Shaddai (the God who provides, Gen 17:1) emptied her life of all value; (3) El Shaddai called her to account like a judge in a courtroom. He wasn't like a mother hen looking to shelter her beneath His wing, but a wolf devouring her as prey. (4) YHWH afflicted her.
In her bitterness, Naomi’s vision was clouded, seeing only her loss and none of His blessing. She rightly attributed every circumstance in her life to the sovereign Lord, misunderstood His immutable character and accused Him of not living up to His name.
Blaming God for what we don’t like or understand creates bitterness and leaves us short-sighted, angry, deflated, and feeling empty. There’s an infinity between zero and one, between empty and full. In the midst of being tested and tried, it can be difficult when God empties us. But when He empties us of one thing, it’s only to fill us with something else.
Faith in God isn’t being able to explain everything or gleefully ignoring circumstances. Faith is trusting God in the midst of unexplained, uncertain, and unpleasant events. It’s believing God is who He claims and does what He promises. It’s giving thanks to Him in all things (1 Thess 5:18) and for all things (Eph 5:20). We may be lacking in many things, but we are filled with the things which matter most from a loving and gracious Father who has bestowed upon us every spiritual blessing in Heaven through Jesus (Eph 1:3). Like Naomi, our view of God can be distorted, hence our desperate need of God’s Word to correct us (2 Tim 3:16-17).

III. Blessing (Ruth 1:22). Despite calling herself Mara, the Holy Spirit referred to her as “pleasant”. That is the blessing of God’s grace. There was nothing about her to deserve His grace – except His mercy.
Though Elimelech had moved the family to Moab (Ruth 1:1), Naomi acknowledged her responsibility, I went away and that God brought her home again by the blessing of His good news (Ruth 1:6), though she was empty in her mind.
Famine was over and the two women arrived at the barley harvest. It was a hint of blessing to come. Be careful not to judge God by your feelings or circumstances rather than His character and Word. Doing so will make us wrong and we’ll lose out on the joy of His companionship and grace.
Like Ruth the Moabitess, we are all outsiders from God, His people, His promises, and His provision (Eph 2:11-13) - except by the blessing of the new birth. We are all conceived in sin (Ps 51:5) and dead in trespasses and sis (Eph 2:1) unless and until God gives new life, drawing us into His family by adoption through faith in Jesus (Eph 1:4-5). Today we own the reality of that great Biblical promise that nothing - no trial or testing, no demon or distress, no sin or sadness - can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39). Naomi’s life wasn’t empty and ended, but just beginning!