What can I do when someone has lost hope?

Outline:

Hopelessness is closer than you think.

“everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

What hopeless looks like. 1:7-13

“You’re better off without me.”

“I can never have joy.”

“My troubles are God’s fault.”

Show them what God’s faithfulness looks like. 1:14-18

Faithful even when others are not.

Faithful even when they tell you to go away.

Faithful toward God and people.

The first steps toward joy are often taken in uncomfortable silence.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 ESV

Overview:

In this section, Naomi has lost hope. She has no prospect of any help for herself in Moab, and she has nothing more to offer her daughters-in-law. This is the time of the judges, where each one does what is right in their own eyes. Ungodliness is not always evil, it is living life ourselves without any reference to or expectation from God. Ungodliness is living the best we can as if God was not there. It can be moral and is often what we call “common sense.” From Naomi’s perspective, God is against her, He will not help her, so she will make the best plan she can on her own—she will do what is right in her own eyes.

To Consider:

How have you been tempted to live in an ungodly way, that is to resolve something completely from your own perspective and resources?

The “three lies of hopelessness” are great to unpack in a group.

1. Does the group agree with them?
2. These three come from the story, can the group identify where Naomi exhibits them?
3. Can anyone share a life situation where they have felt that way? Are you feeling something like this now? (Many of us are walking wounded, trying hard to keep our game face on, although we’re really ready to give up.)

Many times people will not be able to recognize the faithfulness of God until they have seen in expressed through someone near them. Ruth is used by God in this way with Naomi.

1. Do you think Ruth sees what God is going to do? What is different between her and Naomi?
2. What could this kind of faithfulness look like in family or marriage situations?
3. Have you given or needed this kind of faithfulness? What happened?
4. What kind of answers does Ruth not give? Can you give hope to someone even if you don’t have answers? How might you do that?
5. Who could you help to give hope to?