How to Be a Decisive Woman

Sally Ferguson is a "Woman of the Word," and she draws simple-but-powerful lessons from Bible stories. In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, she encourages decisiveness by examining the life of a familiar Old Testament woman.

"I hope you brought your sandals," Sally says, "because we’re going to walk the dusty roads from Moab to Bethlehem."

As I (Dawn) read Sally's post, I thought, "becoming a decisive woman is difficult for some women who are naturally more timid, but sometimes God uses circumstances to teach us how to become more resolute."

Sally continues . . .

Look. Just up ahead. Two women are supporting each other as they carry their loads. Let’s catch up to them.

It’s Naomi and Ruth, and they’re both wearing the black garb of mourners.

Oh, it’s so sad. They’ve had three funerals in the span of 10 years.

When I was younger, 10 years seemed a lifetime away. But, now? Don’t blink, because it will slip by.

But, oh so sad. They’re both widows. And the young one must be in her 20s. What a shame.

Ruth has chosen to uproot from her home and go with her mother-in-law to a place she’s never been. Is she scared about what she will find there? Maybe she feels lost without her husband? But, she seems to be peacefully resolute.

Maybe, for the first time in her life, she feels as if she has been found.

Ruth’s heard the stories Naomi recounted of the wonders God had done in Israel. Would this God take notice of her, a barren, destitute widow with no man-child to support her in her later years? Is there a future with this God, for a woman?

Her own country’s gods couldn’t keep her from her current state of affairs. Would this God be any different?

What made Ruth decisive? I believe there are four things we can glean from her life.

1. She jumped in with everything she had.

Have you ever seen someone go to the beach with a brand new swimsuit, but never get in the water? When they returned, would you say they went swimming? No, probably not.

We might say they were sun-bathing, but wouldn’t equate that with the experience of feeling the silky smooth water and tasting the salty spray.

Walking with God is like that. You can’t fully experience a relationship with Him if you’re going to settle for sticking to the beach.

Like Ruth, leave the past behind you and fully embrace what He has to offer.

Like Ruth, give it all you’ve got. Read Ruth 1:16-17 to see the depth of her commitment.

2. She took refuge in the Lord.

When Ruth met Boaz, he had already heard about her. Look at Ruth 2:11-12.

When someone takes refuge, it implies taking shelter from a storm. When hurricane season hits the Caribbean, you seek refuge. But, even a fortress can take a battering.

The only place we can find true peace in a storm is when our heart is anchored in Christ.

Read Psalm 91, to hear David’s proclamation of confidence in God.

3. She trusted God to provide a way.

When Naomi sent Ruth out into the darkness to meet Boaz, Ruth must have wondered if Naomi had lost her mind. But Boaz’s response became the prototype of when Jesus became our Kinsman Redeemer.

When Ruth trusted God, He provided a way through His kinsman-redeemer named Boaz. He was the one to handle legal matters for the family. Ruth 3 gives the details.

4. She let God rewrite her story.

When we began our story, Ruth was a barren widow. Look how far she’s come!

In Ruth chapter 4, she’s married to her kinsman-redeemer and they have a son.

Ruth is grafted into the story of the Israelites through a baby boy named Obed and is the great-grandmother to a shepherd boy to come, named David.

Why is this important to us? Because we are also grafted into the family through salvation found in Jesus.

And we can therefore claim the promises God made to the Israelites through the ages!

• I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5
• I will be your God and you will be my people. Jeremiah 24:7
• I take great delight in you. Zephaniah 3:17
• I will fight for you. Exodus 14:14
• You will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29

Aren’t you glad we have these wonderful promises in Christ? You can claim them, too, when you believe in Jesus as your Savior and confess that He is Lord of your life. Acts 4:12 says we only have access to God through His Son.

Won’t you let Him rewrite your story, too?

Sally Ferguson loves sharing God’s Word in all different forms! Her coloring book, What Will I Be When I Grow Up? (Warner Press) and ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat are both available on Amazon. Visit her latest retreat release here.  

Graphic—painting by Thomas Matthews Rooke, 1876-7.