The Lord Has Let Me Return With Empty Hands

Now she was alone and forsaken in the world. She even had to offer up Ruth in her heart. Now she had learned that you have to forsake everything to be a disciple of the Lord. On God’s ways this is a bitter experience for the flesh; so as far as that goes, she could easily be called Mara. Yet God calls such a soul Naomi (delightful), for what is more delightful in God’s eyes than a person who is poor in spirit, poor in everything? Such a person relies on Him for all things. Now Naomi had a sense for what it means to be the target of God’s arrows, for He does not endure anything or anyone outside of Himself in a soul who is devoted to Him. He is like a mighty hunter who hunts down everything that hinders a soul’s union with Himself in love. He breaks down everything that hinders so that He can comfort the soul afterwards, that he may follow Him in blind faith.

Such souls are a delight and a joy to God. However, the soul thinks that God is persecuting him, tormenting him, and making him wretched. Yet God does this in order to lead him, with bonds that are even stronger, to Himself with a genuine devotion and love.

All the soul’s steps become dark; only one way is light. You can see light on only one way—the way that leads to God Himself.