July 19, 2020 Series: Mercies in the Shadows Speaker: Philip Miller One of the things that makes grief and loss so difficult is the sense of helplessness that comes over us. We often feel so powerless, and nothing we can say or do that will make any difference. It's easy to fall into a victim mentality, to feel helpless, disempowered, angry, and bitter. The story of Ruth grapples with all of these emotions. In this passage, Pastor Philip shows 3 powerful realities that Ruth experiences that help her move forward even as she’s grieving: 1) The Power of Agency: In grief, we can’t wait until inspiration strikes, and we can’t wait until everything’s in order. All we can do is the next right thing, and move forward one step at a time. 2) The Power of Providence: We live in the care of our Father, not the chaos of chance. We need to learn to trust the unseen hand of God. 3) The Power of Justice: We are conduits of mercy, not merely consumers. Our best course of action is to let mercies flow freely to others. Takeaway: Through the events of our lives, we'll find that God is shepherding us into a life of proactive dependence. Ruth 2:1-17 If you enjoyed this sermon, please subscribe and give us a like. For more information about connecting with The Moody Church online, visit www.moodychurch.org/online-church.