Living with Holy Expectation through the Story of Ruth: “Un-Assuming”
Have you ever watched a movie where, halfway through, you’re absolutely convinced you know how it’s going to end?
You start predicting everything:
“That character is clearly the villain.”
“Those two are definitely going to end up together.”
“This is how the story resolves.”
And then… the story takes a turn you never saw coming.
The character you thought was finished suddenly becomes central.
The storyline you assumed was a dead end becomes the most important thread of all.
And you realize something:
You were making assumptions about a story that wasn’t finished yet.
The truth is, many of us do the same thing with our lives.
We reach a certain point and start drawing conclusions:
“I guess this is how my life is going to look.”
“This season must mean something about me.”
“Maybe this part of my story is just… what it is.”
But what if we’re doing the same thing as that halfway-through movie watcher?
What if the story isn’t finished yet?
When We Start Writing Conclusions Too Soon
In our recent First Friday message series, Living with Holy Expectation, we’ve been exploring what it looks like to trust God not just for what we see—but for what He is still writing.
Earlier, we looked at the Book of Genesis and the story of the life of Joseph—a man whose life was marked by betrayal, delay, and uncertainty. Yet through it all, he chose to trust God.
That kind of trust—what Scripture calls faith—is not passive. It’s practiced. It’s refined. It grows over time. As the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us, faith itself is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8–9), but it’s also something we learn to exercise daily.
And for many single adults, this is where the tension lives.
It’s easy to feel like life is in an “in-between” season—as though the real story hasn’t started yet. As though something essential is still missing. Even as though you somehow are an incomplete person.
But Scripture consistently tells a different story:
God does some of His most meaningful work in the very seasons we’re tempted to overlook.
The Assumption Trap
Whether we realize it or not, we all carry assumptions. Some of them sound reasonable:
- “I didn’t think I’d be single at this stage.”
- “I thought I’d be married by now.”
- “My best years might be behind me.”
- “God seems to be blessing everyone else.”
- “Maybe something is wrong with me.”
Assumptions are part of being human—but they can quietly become limits we place on God. And they’re one of the sharpest and potentially most destructive tools in the enemy’s toolbox. He tempts us to question God’s ultimate plan for our lives.
They often form when:
- Life doesn’t go according to plan
- Timing doesn’t match expectations
- God feels silent
Left unchecked, these assumptions can shape how we see ourselves, our future, and even God’s character.
Which brings us to one of the most powerful stories in Scripture: the Book of Ruth.
When Life Gives You Every Reason to Assume the Worst
The story begins with loss.
Naomi, one of the central figures, loses everything that once defined her stability:
- Her husband
- Her two sons
- Her security
- Her future
In her culture, this wasn’t just emotional grief—it was economic and social devastation.
And her words reveal the assumptions forming in her heart:
“The Lord’s hand has turned against me.” (Ruth 1:12-13)
“Call me Mara… because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” (Ruth 1:20)
Pain has a way of producing assumptions about God.
We may not say it out loud, but we feel it:
“God must be punishing me.”
“God has forgotten me.”
“My story is basically over.”
From Naomi’s perspective, those conclusions made sense.
But the story wasn’t finished.
Ruth Refuses the Obvious Conclusion
Into this moment steps Ruth.
Also a widow.
Also vulnerable.
Also facing an uncertain future.
And yet, when Naomi urges her to return home, Ruth makes a decision that changes everything:
“Where you go, I will go… your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)
This is more than loyalty—it’s faith.
Ruth was a Moabite, raised in a different culture with different beliefs. Choosing to follow Naomi meant leaving behind everything familiar and stepping into uncertainty.
She had no guarantees.
No clear outcome.
No promise of provision.
And yet—she chooses trust over assumption.
She doesn’t say:
“This situation looks hopeless.”
“I should play it safe.”
“I’ll go back to what I know.”
Instead, she says, in essence:
“I’m going to trust God, even when I can’t see where this leads.”
This is the turning point.
Holy expectation begins where assumptions end.
Faithfulness in the Ordinary
As the story unfolds, Ruth doesn’t step into a dramatic breakthrough moment.
She steps into a field.
She gleans – picking up leftover grain behind harvesters. It was one of the lowest forms of provision available.
And yet, this is where she meets Boaz.
What’s striking is what Ruth doesn’t do:
- She doesn’t try to control the outcome
- She doesn’t manipulate the situation
- She doesn’t force a breakthrough
She simply:
- Shows up
- Works faithfully
- Cares for Naomi
- Lives with quiet obedience
We often assume that if God is going to do something significant, it will look dramatic.
But Ruth’s story reminds us:
God’s providence often hides inside ordinary obedience.
For many of us, especially in seasons of singleness, this is where the real work happens.
Living with holy expectation might look like:
- Moving out of your comfort zone: showing up
- Building meaningful friendships
- Serving others
- Growing spiritually
- Healing from past wounds
- Trusting God one day at a time
It may not feel extraordinary.
But God often writes His most important chapters quietly.
A Personal Reflection
I’ve seen this play out in my own life.
In my late 40s, I found myself stepping into an unexpected season of singleness that lasted nearly 11 years. It included raising two teenagers as a single parent and navigating challenges I hadn’t planned for.
There were moments I longed for a “do-over”—a chance to apply what I was learning about relationships, leadership, and faith.
And there were moments I had to ask a deeper question:
If this season doesn’t change, can I still trust God in it?
Over time, I began to see that God wasn’t waiting to start my story again—He was actively writing it.
That season became one of growth, clarity, and dependence on Him.
And in hindsight, I can say this with confidence:
What felt like a pause was actually preparation for something bigger.
God Is Writing a Bigger Story
By the end of Ruth’s story, everything changes.
Boaz redeems Ruth and marries her.
But the story doesn’t stop there.
Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David—and ultimately part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Think about that.
At the beginning:
- Naomi believed God had abandoned her
- Ruth appeared to have no future
But in reality:
God was weaving their lives into His redemptive plan for the world.
Three Assumptions to Release
If we’re going to live with holy expectation, there are some assumptions we may need to let go of:
- “My life should look different by now.”
God doesn’t work on our timelines.
He writes in seasons, not schedules.
- “Nothing significant is happening right now.”
Some of the most important work God does is invisible in the moment—and only clear in hindsight.
- “My story is smaller than others.”
God used a widowed immigrant gleaning in a field to shape the lineage of the Messiah.
Your story is not small and in no way is it insignificant.
It’s part of something larger than you can see.
The Unseen Tapestry
There’s an old illustration of a tapestry.
If you look at the back side, it’s messy—threads going everywhere, knots, loose ends. It looks unfinished and confusing.
But when you turn it around…
You see the design.
The beauty.
The purpose behind every thread.
Most of us experience life from the back side of the tapestry.
We see:
- The loose threads
- The unexpected turns
- The seasons that don’t make sense
And we start making assumptions about the picture.
That’s where Naomi was.
That’s where Ruth could have been.
But what they couldn’t see was that God was weaving something far greater.
And the same is true for you.
Living with Holy Expectation
To live with holy expectation doesn’t mean we know how the story ends.
It means:
- Trusting God when the evidence is incomplete
- Walking forward when the future is unclear
- Refusing to let assumptions define our story
Ruth couldn’t see where the road to Bethlehem would lead.
Naomi couldn’t see redemption in her grief.
But God was writing a story neither of them could have imagined.
And He’s still writing.
A Simple Invitation
Take a moment to reflect:
Is there an assumption you’ve been carrying?
Maybe it sounds like:
“This is just how my life will be.”
“That opportunity isn’t for me.”
“That chapter is over.”
What would it look like to place that assumption in God’s hands?
Not denying it—but releasing it.
And replacing it with this truth:
“God may still be writing a chapter I cannot yet see.”
Because He is.
Holy expectation begins where our assumptions end.
Like Joseph, we can become Un-Stuck.
Like Ruth, we can learn to be Un-Assuming and live our lives in the blesséd hope of Holy Expectation.
Right here with you,
Terry
Closing Prayer
Lord,
forgive us for the assumptions we make when life doesn’t unfold the way we expected.
Teach us to trust You like Ruth—to follow You even when the future is unclear.
Help us live with holy expectation, believing You are writing a story far greater than we can see.
Amen.