Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
Making Space for God to Work
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This might be true in some cases. But on the flip side, pictures don’t always tell the whole story. When my sister moved into her home, she sent me a picture of what I like to call a reading nook. There was a chair that looked quite comfortable beside a small book shelf. My sister has a special talent when it comes to decorating, and this area of her home was no exception. To me it looked very cozy and inviting, a lovely place to curl up with a good book and a cup of coffee.
However, I later learned that my sister’s house is not quiet, and reading can be difficult. When she told me this, I immediately thought of the picture. And I was reminded that what we see in a picture might be lacking in details.
But there is more to this story. My sister also told me that even though her house is far from quiet or peaceful, she attempts to create peaceful places in her home, and peaceful moments for herself and her family. And this led to the topic of how important it is to make room for God to do His work in our lives.
We will all face an array of blessings and trials in our lives. But if we try to greet each day with an open mind and a willing heart, this can help transform the story we are walking through.
I love the story of Ruth, found in the Bible. Ruth’s husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law had all died. The only members remaining in her household, in the region of Moab, were her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, was from Bethlehem, and she decided to return home. She encouraged her two daughters-in-law to stay behind, as they were originally from Moab. One daughter-in-law, Orpah, did return to her family. But Ruth did not. She wanted to stay with Naomi.
“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’” – Ruth 1:16-17
After arriving in Bethlehem, they lived near a man named Boaz, who was a relative on Naomi’s late husband’s side. Ruth would go to his fields and pick up leftover grain that the workers dropped. One day Boaz saw her doing this. After learning who she was, he encouraged her to continue, and he even told his workers to intentionally leave some stalks of grain for her (Ruth 2:1-16). Well, to make a short story shorter, Boaz and Ruth wound up getting married. They then had a son, who would be King David’s grandfather. (If you are not familiar with the story of Ruth, you can read it all here.)
I find this story to be a beautiful one. The path could not have been easy for Ruth, as she lost her husband and left her homeland. But instead of being bitter, she made space in her life for God to work. And in the end, God transformed her story of heartache into a masterpiece. Not only was Ruth’s son part of David’s family line, but he was part of Jesus’s family line too.
Ruth’s story, and my sister’s situation in her home, both remind me to embrace the things that come my way, whether good or bad. As children of God, we can rest assured knowing that everything that happens in our lives, He allowed. And He has a purpose and a plan for it all. If we live with an open heart, He can take each seemingly ugly situation and turn it into something beautiful. He can turn our stories into works of art, when we decide to allow God to work in our lives.
© 2021 Bridget A. Thomas
Bridget A. Thomas 
Reading the story of Ruth again reminds me how she made the right choice under some difficult circumstances. And God honored her decision to stay with Naomi. We all need “reading nooks” in our lives, whether we get to enjoy them much or not. These pause points encourage us to stop and ponder God’s plan for our lives. Excellent post, Bridget! Thank you, and God Bless.
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Ruth had a difficult decision in front of her, but she chose the better path. What a valuable lesson for us to learn too, when we have two paths in front of us. One might seem like the easier route, but we need the Holy Spirit’s discernment in choosing the better route. I agree with having a reading nook! And I really love what you said about having pause points to ponder God’s plans. So very true. Too often in our culture we are just too busy “going” and “doing.” We don’t always take the time to hear from God and then we might have a mess to clean up later! Thank you for sharing your thoughts! God bless you too, friend!
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This was a very apt message for me today. I struggle when things go a bit awry. And because I can become fully occupied with what changed, I can very easily scramble about and in the process leave no room for God to work. I felt God nudging me two days back to take it to Him and not flail about and here you are giving me a wonderful reminder to ensure I make room for Him to be God in my life.
I am always amazed how God speaks this way.
Having that space or times in your life and home to be quiet to listen to God is so good and absolutely necessary.
Many blessings to you dear friend 🤗🌺
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I know what you mean! I tend to feel frustrated when things don’t according to plan. But I have to remind myself that those plans might have been my plans and not necessarily God’s plans. He knew all along how things would really go. But the wonderfully thing is that He can take our plans and do much more than we ask or imagine.
I too am always amazed at God’s little nudges! And I am so honored to know He used this post to help you!
You are absolutely right about creating space for God! I think too often we go about our lives, because things are always coming at us so quickly. So it has to be an intentional process.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It is always wonderful to hear from you! And abundant blessings to you too, my friend! ❤️
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It always amazes me how strong people were in the bible, the things they had to overcome were monumental in some cases. It helps put our own situation into perspective. If God can move mountains for them, He will also for us.
Thank you for sharing this. Perfectly written story that connects our worlds with God’s plan.
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Such a good point! The stories in the Bible do help us see that God can and will work miracles! 🙌 We just have to trust Him and make space for Him in our lives. I am glad you enjoyed this, as I did too. I needed this reminder myself!
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I love the story of your sister’s nook! And I also love Ruth’s story. I’ve always been drawn to her story.
It’s amazing what God can and will do for us when we let Him.
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So true! God can take any unpleasant situation and turn it around into something beautiful. And He can do it in a way that we never would have dreamed up on our own. I want to always remember that, so that each day I look with anticipation to see what God will do next!! ❤️
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One of my favorite stories in the Bible. What a great reminder that no matter the trials or mess God still remains, along with the truth of His word, and His blessings as well.
Great encouragement Bridget!❤️
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Yes and Amen! I am so thankful we can put our trust in God, no matter what we are facing. We need only remain anchored to Him, and He will guide us! Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts, Alicia! 💕🌸
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Yes, God can take our ugly situations and make them beautiful. And your post also reminds me that God is always near, we just have to take time to create a space in our lives for Him, like your sister did in her home.
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Amen! I love thinking about the fact that God is near. It brings so much comfort. And it helps us to remember that we can trust Him with all the situations in our lives. 💕
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