“My own (inadequacies) will not hinder the working of God’s goodness.” —Julian of Norwich.

The message highlights the beloved story of Naomi and Ruth in Ruth 1 and 2, which can bring tears to our eyes. Also, lets take the statement of Julian of Norwich and her words of great Truth and relate the potency of God’s goodness, which makes up for and lifts us up from our missteps and infuses us with God’s goodness—transforming any inadequacy into grace.

First, we allow for God’s goodness. In our Temple of holiness within, we can still to the activity of grace–divine good acting in us and in our life circumstances–and let the good take the prominent seat in our thoughts, feelings and consciousness. 

Surely, a focus on our goodness can and will take over in us and in any situation. It is the power of positive and divine energy together and synergistically winning the game or moving us successfully through a provocative situation similar to what Naomi and Ruth faced as they traveled from bleakness to restored living conditions. How did they do it?

In the Old Testament account of Ruth and Naomi, Ruth went with (goodness), the energy of her love and loyalty for Naomi. She did not let Naomi’s defeating attitude (the inadequacy) make a distressing life experience worse. Ruth triumphed and dominated in her actions and attitude of loyalty and commitment to the good in Naomi, in herself and for their future. 

What’s more, the momentum was there for both of them to continue their trip back to Naomi’s homeland and a promising future for Ruth that would likewise bring happiness to Naomi in her later years of life. We can do the very same thing in our own lives.

It is a matter of our focus. We do not underestimate the power of holding goodness uppermost in our hearts and thoughts. “Goodness can and will triumph over failures.” –Matthew Fox