“And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me... the LORD hath brought me home again empty.”
The Loneliness
Naomi names herself Mara here, worth examining directly, this deliberate renaming, bitter, worth holding as remarkable, honest permission to actually, genuinely rename your own current experience, not maintaining false, pleasant identity but this described, direct, honest naming of genuine bitterness.
Notice brought me home again empty, worth holding as this verse’s own additional, honest naming, worth examining whether returning to familiar places, even home itself, has felt genuinely empty rather than comforting, worth recognizing this same, honest experience if it describes your own current season.
This is worth applying against however much you have maintained a pleasant name or persona, publicly, while genuinely, honestly experiencing this same bitterness privately, rather than Naomi’s own direct example, worth considering what actually, honestly naming your own current experience this directly might require.
Consider today whether you have been maintaining a pleasant name while genuinely experiencing something more like Mara privately, and practice Naomi’s own honest renaming, speaking directly, call me Mara, trusting this honest naming as legitimate, worth actually voicing rather than hiding behind pleasant appearance.
Live As Family
- Consider whether you have maintained pleasant appearance while genuinely experiencing bitterness.
- Practice honest naming today, following Naomi’s own direct example, call me Mara.
- Voice this honest experience to at least one trusted person, not hidden behind pleasant appearance.
Prayer
Lord, like Naomi, let me call myself honestly, even Mara, if that is what is genuinely true, rather than maintaining pleasant appearance while privately, honestly bitter. Amen.
Carry this today
Honest renaming of your own genuine bitterness is legitimate, following Naomi’s own direct example.