Discuss Together
- As a kid, what were some of the dreams you had about who you would become, what you would do, or where you would go and live?
- Dreaming big is often easy for kids, but the older we get it can be harder to do, especially when we’ve experienced disappointment. Do you find your hopes and dreams are smaller now that you’re older? Why is this often the case?
- Read Ruth 1:1-22. Ruth and Naomi’s lives and dreams were shattered by tragedy. How do we see faith in both of their responses to these circumstances? What are some differences in how they interpreted what was happening?
- Naomi is refreshingly honest about her feelings and bitterness. We can probably all relate to her emotions. When have you felt bitter against God or “jinxed” by Him? Why were you upset with Him?
- Hard situations can sometimes be disillusioning for our faith journey. But they can also be faith catalysts that draw us closer to Him too. Can you think of a challenging or tragic circumstance that actually pulled you closer to God? How?
- Are you dealing with a shattered dream right now? What is it and how are you processing it?
- What does healthy grief look like? What have you learned about being honest with your feelings while maintaining good perspective and faith?
- This has not been an easy season for anyone. It’s also a time of immense uncertainty. While the big picture of what God is up to may be unclear, do you have an idea of what a good next step looks like in your life?
Next Steps
Read Jeremiah 29:11. In this famous verse, God declares His good intentions for His people, even though they were in the middle of a big nightmare because Israel was in exile. This verse shows that a broken world cannot thwart God’s dream for us. We will face difficulties and disappointments, but we can trust God to weave all that into His bigger dream for us. So, go to God with whatever difficulty or disappointment you are facing. And translate that circumstance in light of God’s love.