“Then she said, ‘Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said, ‘Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.’ When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.” Ruth 1:15-18

Who has walked with you through a hard time? How did their presence impact and uplift you? When we are going through challenges in life, we see who truly cares about us through the way they support us in difficult moments, even as we struggle to let them in. These are the people who follow up, reach out, sit, and grieve with us. While we usually greatly appreciate those who have been there for us in the hard times, it can be challenging to do for others. We struggle to find the words when someone shares their hardship, and we may feel awkward reaching out or talking about hard things in the midst of everyday life.

When Ruth committed to walking with Naomi through her grief, she was in it for the long haul. It would not be easy, convenient, or quick. Walking with Naomi would require sacrifice, patience, and endurance through the hard times. While Ruth could have gone to be with her own people and moved on by finding a new husband in the land she knew, she chose the harder route to be with Naomi in the dark times and process the grief with her as they walked toward God together. You do not have to have the perfect words to show care in a time of hardship. Like Ruth, you can simply walk with others through their challenges, showing them genuine care, and staying close to support even as life often feels hard and unresolved.

• Who do you know that is struggling and could use your support now?
• What are some things that hold you back from reaching out to others in a hard time?
• Pray and ask God to open your eyes to those struggling around you, that you might support and serve them.