Who Knows?

In Esther 4:14, Mordecai says some of the most important words in the chapter:

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

I love, love, love, the last sentence in that verse. On this snowy day, I am filled with such joy at reading those words and thinking about my life. Thinking about all the things I am in this life. I am a mother. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a friend. I am so many things to so many people around me. I exist in this particular time, on this day and I am alive! Whatever problems exist around me, I have been given the opportunity to make a difference. I may not be aware of ALL of the problems around me, especially for those I care about. But I do know that for the problems that I actually am aware of, I have been given an opportunity to be a solution to whatever problems exist around me.

This is the mentality I am adopting as I consider my next steps at this crossroads I find myself. Purpose seems to elude us in the days where not much seems to happen but one thing I know is that every day is a day God made me to be important to someone. And for that reason, I strive to be the best person I can be. Like Esther, I also have those days I question all or some of my roles. At this juncture in my life, one of the questions that I wake up to often is, what problem do I want to focus on today.

There are days where my thoughts and prayers are focused on those around me, knowing what they are going through and praying for the ability to be able to make a difference in their lives. I am convinced that the problems I see and are drawn to, are likely to be the ones I’m equipped to solve or help to solve. In Esther’s case, her journey into the palace, even to becoming the one favoured by the King, set her up perfectly to solve the problems the Jews were facing at that time. She was also counselled very well by her uncle, Mordecai, who I believe with his acts of integrity and his conscientious service to the king, was used by God to nurture Esther and direct her into the palace.

Some might look at the circumstances in their lives as pure coincidence, mistakes, luck or misfortune. But the truth is, there is absolutely nothing that happens in our lives that the Lord does not permit (Lamentations 3:37) and that means that as long as we remain in the Lord, He will always direct and redirect us into His will and purpose as required. This means, we must never dismiss the circumstances that lead us into problems. Instead, ask yourself this the next time you are in the pits of despair about that problem that seems so impossible…

“…who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

As you meditate on this passage and reflect on your own circumstances, I encourage you to use your lens of hope and faith in the God who does the impossible and who never makes a mistake with HIs creations. Do not ask why is this happening to me :( but rather ask, God, WHY did you CHOOSE me?