I recently finished studying the book of Esther with some dear sisters in Christ.  Studying this book has been such a blessing to me. The Lord taught me some wonderful truths through this study, and the first one I wanted to share was about God’s sovereignty. 

In Esther, everything goes from bad to worse.  Esther is taken into the king’s harem and is basically entered into a contest to be queen, but whether she wins or not she will forever be in the king’s harem.  And then…. She waits. 

Five years. 

So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. Esther 2:16 (NASB95)

In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. Esther 3:7

It was five years between Esther first being taken into the harem to Haman deciding the time was right to attack the Jews.  Esther had no clue why God placed her as queen.   There must’ve been many unanswered questions in her mind.  I can imagine many nights crying out to God, “Why, Lord?” and receiving no answer.  Esther had to wait and trust. 

In the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Haman decides via casting lots that it’s time to attack not only Mordecai but the entire Jewish population, all for revenge because Mordecai would not bow to him.  Everything went from bad to worse.  But God was at work.  God had placed Esther right where she needed to be to accomplish His will. 

So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people. Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” They related Esther’s words to Mordecai. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” Esther 4:6-14

God had prepared Esther all these years for this moment.  But, like Mordecai said, if she had refused to cooperate with God’s plan, God’s will still would have been accomplished.  Esther was not big enough to disrupt God’s will. 

I take such comfort in knowing that I am too small to keep God’s will from being accomplished in the earth.  But I also have a choice, just like Esther.  I can choose to get on board with God’s plans, or I can sit out and miss out on being a small part of His grand story. 

Through God’s sovereignty, not only did Esther save her people, but Mordecai became a ruler in Persia who was well loved and stood up for his people.  Even though God’s name is not mentioned anywhere in Esther, His hand and sovereignty is evident. 

Maybe you’re in a place of waiting, unsure of why God has brought you to where you are.  Maybe your mind is plagued with unanswered “why’s.”  Or maybe you are standing at a crossroads—God’s will is going to happen no matter what, but you have to choose whether or not you are willing to risk taking a step of faith.  I hope that you will read the book of Esther and find courage in this story.  God is sovereign, and wherever you stand in your own story, we can be confident that God is sovereign over every detail of our lives.  His control has never wavered.  He has never and will never forget you.  He cares for you, and He will work out His glory and your good in your life, even if that path looks nothing like we expect. 

I went through a breakup at the beginning of the year.  It was unexpected and followed a very difficult and hurtful situation.  Nothing made sense and there were many unanswered questions.  But this study of Esther was so healing for me, because in seeing the sovereign hand of God through Esther’s life, I was reminded that God is sovereign over my life.  When things go from bad to worse, I can have confidence that God is working for my good and for His glory.  Even when He feels invisible, I know His hand is still working.  I can now look back and see and trust that God was protecting me, and He has something better in store for me than where I thought my life was headed.  He can be praised in the middle of the storm, because the same God of Esther is the same God who rules the world today, and He never has and never will change.  He is always good, always faithful, always loving, always holy, and His character is a steadfast refuge for any aching heart. 

God is sovereign, and God is good.  Trust Him with your story. 

With love,

Kelsey