I recently spoke at a conference where the theme was, “There is more to your story.” What great news! We don’t have to settle with how our life is right now… forever. There is something more. But even if you agree there is more, do you ever wonder, “How do I get there?”
In my Bible, there’s a big, bold heading that says, Ruth Marries Boaz! This is where we’re all trying to get in life, to the giant heading that declares whatever we were going through is now over. But for there to be an ending, there has to be a beginning and a middle.
The beginning is the cause of whatever happens (or doesn’t happen) that makes us think our story is over, or it will never change. For Ruth, her father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband died, and she was about to lose her mother-in-law, Naomi, too. Ruth faced a heartwrenching decision: stay in her homeland with all she’s ever known, or leave everything behind to follow Naomi back to Judah.
Through an emotional exchange, Ruth chose to go with Naomi. She declared:
“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Ruth 1:16-17 NLT
Ruth’s faith and steadfastness are admirable. She was in the middle of her story, which is where all of the good stuff happens — though it doesn’t usually feel good at the time. It didn’t feel good to Ruth either. It was hard. She certainly mourned all she had lost and wrestled with the uncertainty of how to move forward. Yet, in the middle is where the miracle happens.
It’s easy to focus on the ending of Ruth’s story, where everything worked out! But there was so much more.
Ruth lived out what James would later write about: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).
In the middle is where her faith was being tested. I can’t imagine losing my husband, saying goodbye to my family forever, and moving away to a place I’d never known without any guarantee of provision or security. But Ruth did just that. She journeyed to a land of complete strangers in a new culture with a different language, values, and laws.
Every step of her story could have been filled with defeated what-ifs. She could have asked herself, What if things get worse? What if I never get married? What if I’m lonely forever?
Instead, Ruth decided ahead of time she was going to trust God.
Years ago I did a Bible study on our thought life. I read verses that told me not to worry about anything, cast down vain imaginations, and think about things that were good, lovely, pure, and of a good rapport. During that study, the Lord challenged me to change my what-ifs from negative to positive. Instead of thinking, “What if my child gets in a wreck?”, I think, “what if my child is safe all of the days of their life?”
We could say things like:
What if my marriage flourishes?
What if I get that promotion?
What if this sickness/disease goes away?
What if things turn out well?
In the middle of her story, Ruth had to redirect her what-ifs — and she did. She was a delight to be around. People talked about her in positive ways. In Ruth 2:11, Boaz mentions the good things he’s heard about her. Even in her hardship, her reputation for goodness went before her. What does our reputation say about us in the middle of our struggles?
The middle may seem hard but all of the good things in the Bible happened in the middle. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in the middle of a fire when the fourth man showed up. Moses was in the middle of escaping slavery and being pursued by an army when the Lord parted the sea. Ruth was in the middle of sorrow and uncertainty when she met her Boaz.
When we trust in God He’ll bring us through too.
We see the middle; God sees the miracle. There is a reason James says to count it all joy! James understands the progression of how our middle hardships lead to our ultimate growth and good.
We have to have faith in the middle. Faith to leave our country and everything we know. Faith to not bow to the image and be thrown in the furnace. Faith to raise our staff and tell two million people to walk through the water.
Get excited in your middle. God already sees your miracle. Trust Him. Your bold letter heading is coming.
Leave a Comment
Beth says
Thank you, Tyra. This is so good and so encouraging. It was just the challenge I needed to start thinking, “what if…God is working on a miracle story.”
Tyra Rains says
Beth,
I’m so glad it brought you hope. God is the miracle working God and His character is to do it for you too.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Joy Wallace says
It’s in the middle that the moulding, the learning, the preparation for the purpose God has in the future for us all happens. It is a very difficult but important stage. And then the miracle unfolds.
Tyra Rains says
Joy,
Yes, exactly!
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Ruth Mills says
Great encouragement, Tyra! As we race to the ends we miss so much of God in the midst of the drudgery & hard & pain of the beginnings & middles. God is good. All the time God is good not only in the endings. Blessings!
Tyra Rains says
Ruth,
So true! We often try to rush through the process and miss so much of the faith journey. God is good all the way through it.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Judyc says
Thank you so much for this and encouraging us in “the middle” of whatever it is we are going through. I’ve always had a problem with the “what if’s”, but your practice of changing them from negative to positive is a great revelation and one I am going to adopt (with God’s help)!
Tyra Rains says
Judy,
Those “what if’s” try to run our lives sometimes. Not anymore! We’re not going to let them (with God’s help).
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Susen says
I am such a “what if-er” I never thought about switching it around and turning the negative what if’s into positive one. I’m going to give it a try thank you for this great article!
Tyra Rains says
Susan,
I think we all have had our time as the “what if-ers.” So much peace comes when you switch them around. I’m expecting great things for you!
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Angela Johnson says
This is a great foundation to lay my fears of this country’s future on. I will wait on God, listen for His will and way in the middle of my trials. Thank you for writing such a beautiful blessing!!! Your words are such a help!!
God continue to guide and bless you and your family.
Tyra Rains says
Angela,
There are a lot of things the devil would love to get us in fear over, but God is greater than them all. He’s good and He’s for you.
Thank you for the blessing over my family.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
MB says
I needed that today. You can’t imagine how God used you sending me that message.
Tyra Rains says
MB,
This warms my heart. God is so good. He knows exactly what we need right when we need them. He’s for you.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Maureen Kessler says
Thank you for this beautiful and truthful encouragement
My family so needs a miracle today and you reminded us of the necessary ingredient: HOPE.
Thank you.
MK
Tyra Rains says
MK,
Faith is the substance of things HOPED for. You’re well on your way to that miracle. God is good and He is for you. I’m expecting great things to come your way.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Lisa Wilt says
Tyra,
This is my favorite devotion of the week! I just had to share it! “The miracle is in the middle.“
Thank you!
Sending you autumn joy,
Lisa Wilt
Tyra Rains says
Lisa,
I can feel your autumn joy in your message. So glad you enjoyed the devotion. Thank you for sharing it!
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Diane/Inez says
I enjoyed reading this story. It resonated with me, because somethings similar happened. At times I look at things one way it happens a different way. I usually say the Lord wanted it His way for me. His way seems to be the right one, because it always works out better than I thought. I believe it’s the unknown that makes us think negative thoughts.
Tyra Rains says
Diane,
Isn’t that the truth? It always works out better than we thought when the Lord is involved. I’ll never stop being amazed at His goodness.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Janet W says
I will be excited today \0/
Thank you Tyra
Tyra Rains says
Janet,
I’ll be excited with you and expectant for you today.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Betsy Basile says
Dear Tyra……..Your devotion today is most interesting to me. It has given me a different way to think about my struggles. I am definitely in the middle and for reference it has been for 2 years now and that is where I have gotten stuck. Even though I pray and pray over and over again, sometimes I wonder if this will even end and as you have said ” The Miracle appears”. I have seen small things that I have thanked God with Gratitude for his help. The situation is of such that at times I cannot stop thinking about myself and why all of these awful things have happened to me. 1. My husband has dementia (the violent type) and I stayed with him for 3+ years to try and get him to realize that he was sick and needed to do what the doctors said. 2. No matter how I tried he would NOT do this and instead of completely stop drinking, he increased it and abused me every single night of that 3+ years. 3. In April of 2022 he came close to killing me and the next day said I was lying. 4. I have 1 54 year old son and a 14 year old grandson. My son called me one night and said I was a liar and he no longer considered me his mother and I could never see or talk to my grandson ever again. He hung up immediately. 5. All of Jim’s doctors told me I had to stop worrying about Jim and start thinking about myself and my safety. There is so much more to the story, but I will not bore you with it Tyra. Just one more thing. I should have told you in the beginning that my boyfriend at the time (Jim) one night date raped me and 3 weeks later I knew I was pregnant. We were made to get married as back in the 60’s the woman always got blamed for this happening and thus the term “Shotgun Marriage”. There was no love in our marriage which today would have been our 55th Anniversary. So, the struggle has really been for 56 years. I keep wondering if I did something that God got mad at me. So the last sentence in your devotion, I will need to change my perspective and know that the “Miracle” will come, but I hope it is soon as I am 77 years old and heartbroken about not seeing my grandson. I pray that something happens before it is my time to leave the Earth. What a long and winding road life can throw at you. Thank you very much Tyra for you words that I will read over and over again. Have a Blessed Weekend and my love to you for doing these devotions for those of us who are suffering. Sometimes I feel that emotional problems can be just as bad or worse than physical problems which I have had from 45 years old to 60 years old…………..Love, Betsy
Tyra Rains says
Betsy,
I’m so sorry you’re going through such a hard time. It sounds like you’ve already come through so much. Keep hanging on. God is not mad at you. He loves you and is for you. Keep expecting good things. The Lord is faithful.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Kristen says
This is some brilliant writing. Amazing loved it
Tyra Rains says
Aww! Thank you, Kristen!
The Lord is good!
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Tyra thank you all you wrote. I loved all you said. We have to trust God in everything. That can be hard when God does not answer our prayers as quickly as we like. Especially if it something important or someone ill very ill in our Family. To get our miracel. As it says in Proverbs 3:5&6. It says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not on your own understanding” we can be bad at trusting God to get our miracle. I have to admit I am one of the worst at doing that. Because I expect God to answer me with in a few days or a week or two no more. I had to wait longer for God to answer at times telling me what to do. It hard when I prayed to God about it. The Devil would try get us to worry did God hear my prayer for the thing I prayed about and get down about it get I you not trust God as much. But we have to trust God no matter what and knowing he knows best when to answer our prayer. In the end of waiting we find out God was right to make us wait before answering our prayers. Thank you again Tyra for todays reading. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Tyra Rains says
Aww! Thanks, Dawn,
You are so right. We tend to want things answered instantly. But I’ve found I grow the most in my faith during those waiting times.
I’m believing your miracle is on its way!
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Courtney Humble says
So encouraging! Sometimes I can get stuck in the what if mindset and this is great reminder for how to push pass that. Thanks!
Tyra Rains says
Courtney,
Those “what if’s” are a nuisance, aren’t they? I’m so glad to help give you the reminder to not let them take over. The Lord has good things planned for you.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Beth Williams says
Tyra,,
The middle is definitely where we are tried & tested. Years ago I was in the throes of elderly caregiving. Some days were good & some were bad. There were times I prayed for it to be over. During that time I flourished, did what had to be done & persevered. Even heard God talking to me. One day I was visiting dad at assisted living during lunch. He was having hard time eating & I offered to feed him to which he said yes. As I was feeding him the man to the right of him said “You will get stars in your crown for this”. I knew immediately that was Jesus talking to me. Letting me know He saw my struggles & would reward me. When my trials were over I realized that my faith & trust muscles had grown tremendously. Now I readily trust God with everything.
Blessings 🙂
Tyra Rains says
Beth,
What a beautifully sweet story. I’m sorry you went through that with your dad, but the treasure you’re storing up in Heaven is going to be more than you can imagine.
You’re right, it’s amazing how much our faith grows in our trials.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Karen says
I loved this!!! It is just what I needed to hear this morning. My husband passed away almost two years ago and I struggle at times with grief and sadness. I know it takes time to lessen these feelings but the love and memories will always be with me. But I really never thought about the “middle” until I read your essay and the joy that could follow by putting more of my trust in God!
Thank you so much. It gives me hope for my future!
Tyra Rains says
Karen,
I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your husband. Grief is real. Praying for the love and peace of God to engulf you.
I’m expecting great things for you.
Live Uncommon,
Tyra
Serena says
Needed this today! Thanks for the reminder that God’s provision often comes in the middle of the story, not just the end. I love that practice of using positive “What If” statements instead of negative ones – something I need to try!
Tyra Rains says
Serena,
God is so good. He brings us the reminders right when we need them (and we all need them). Praying for your miracle in the middle. Keep up changing those what ifs for the positive.
Live Uncommon!
Tyra