5 Habits of a woman who won't quit: Loyalty

During this study we are studying the Book of Ruth and how it relates to not quitting. When we came to the famous words of Ruth 1:16-18 by Ruth to her mother in law Naomi  About ten years ago, I said that I would say those words to my husband one day because I believe that if you are going to commit your life to someone then you should actually mean it.

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t make me leave you, for I want to go wherever you go and to live wherever you live; your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God; 17 I want to die where you die and be buried there. May the Lord do terrible things to me if I allow anything but death to separate us.”18 And when Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind and could not be persuaded otherwise, she stopped urging her.

It's amazing how God can bring these things to your remembrance. Back then I didn't understand the magnitude of those words. As I studied them, I realized those words meant loyalty to the end...no matter what.

Ruth says May God punish me severely/May The Lord do terrible things to me if I allow anything but death to separate us.

Whoa. Those are some strong words and if I were to say them then I needed a loyal heart. I prayed for God to give me a loyal heart even when the situation is messy and not the greatest of circumstances.

Many people are loyal when times are good. They are ALL IN when it's all about the applause applause applause BUT when that applause turns into" CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!" or you face hard times, they are PEACE OUT.  So much for loyalty.

I have always been scared to get married because I believe marriage is for life and I don't want to marry the wrong one and have to be loyal to mess! I wouldn't do it. I would leave so That's why I was firm about sticking to God’s will even if I had to wait longer.  I figured if was the one bringing me someone, then I would have a better chance of being loyal to that person.

Can I be loyal in a less than ideal situation?

I asked myself could I be loyal in a situation similar to Ruth’s? This was a less than ideal situation. She didn't know Naomi’s homeland, they had different religions, she was still single, and Naomi and her husband left their home to come to Moab because of famine. What if it was there was still a famine when they went back? What if people were mean because Ruth was a Moabite? What if? What if? What if?

Ruth did not let these questions diminish her resolve and determination to be loyal to Naomi

I began to think: what if God calls me to love a man who has less than ideal circumstances? I mean he did say in that coffee shop years earlier that it wouldn't be what I thought it would be. What if the promise that I've waited for is messy and complicated? What if it looks bad on the outside? What if people are opposed to it?

Will I still be loyal to what I believe God has said and love the one he has sent or will I say, " I waited all this time for THAT? This is too much I don't need this!"

Will I still be loyal even through opposition?

We have to ask ourselves these questions because to display his glory God will call us to some messy situations. We all have our fairy tales in our head about the man we want to love and our ideal circumstances but humans are complex creatures and it doesn't always work that way.

God sends you through refiner's Fire university because he already knows where you need more teaching and strengthening for when what he has for you comes along with  these less than ideal circumstances. With proper refinement you can be loyal to God’s will and to others

I am confident that my refinement time will help me to be loyal even if it's messy, complicated, and I face opposition.

To God be the Glory.