Mara in the Bible — Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

Mara, ma'-rå (Heb.)-- bitter; acrid; galling; grief; misfortune; calamity. The symbolical name that Naomi gave to herself because of losing her husband, sons, and home (Ruth 1:20). Meta. The bitterness and distress that the partially awakened soul experiences when reaping the error result of some false step; this soul, not knowing enough of Truth to link cause with effect, lays the inharmony to God. Naomi apparently blamed God for her losses and sorrows. Many professing Christians of today do likewise, not realizing that their troubles are the direct results of their own ignorant and unwise thinking and doing. They resort to worldly methods for their healing and sustenance; then they think that the resultant inharmonious experiences are sent on them by God. But we are learning better than this. We know that God is good and that only the good is true of God and of us as we unify ourselves with the one good and work harmoniously with the law of our being.