“…And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14b (ESV)
Have you ever asked, “Why me? Why us?” I’ll bet Esther did. She faced a dangerous situation to save her people. In the her story, the Jews faced annihilation. Mordecai, the man who raised Esther, begged her to see the king and ask him to spare her people. However, this king happened to be a very proud man who thought highly of himself—so much so that presenting oneself before him uninvited results in a death sentence. UNLESS the king showed mercy by holding out his golden scepter.
And the king had not invited Esther to see him in thirty days!
Mordecai’s reply spares no feelings when he tells Esther that being queen makes her no more safe than he. He says that God will make a way—through her or otherwise. He ends his speech with and answer to “Why us” in the verse above. SPOILER ALERT: She successfully approached the king and, between her wise actions and God’s behind-the-scenes hand, the Jews were saved!!
There is always a reason.
I ask God why. Job did it too, so I don’t feel too bad about it. God has big shoulders and understands our weakness. My mom had a car accident when I was around a year old. The accident put her in a 3-week coma. She woke with major brain damage, and as I grew up, our roles quickly reversed. I would ask God all the time why I couldn’t have a “normal” family. It seemed mom pushed my patience everyday. When I was an adult, and she lived with my husband and me for a year (long before my daughter entered the world), she tested BOTH our patience.
Now I have an AuDHD daughter. And guess what? She’s always testing my patience.
My childhood literally prepared me for motherhood. I still don’t have a load of patience, and I still struggle against my quick temper, but in raising Kayla, I have learned so much and become a better person for being her parent.
I recently shared the verse below with my church’s teens. If we can think of no other reason, then remember our sorrows allow us empathy for other:
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:4
There is always a purpose.
In Eph. 2:10, Paul tells us we are Jesus’ workmanship, created for prepared good works. Although Paul’s main point is that instead of being saved by good works, we’re saved for good works, I believe we can extrapolate the fact that we all have a purpose. Just like Esther.
And not just us. Our complex kids as well. Their life has meaning. They were born for just a time as this.
My daughter’s AuDHD has a purpose in her life. Her gifts and challenges make her uniquely suitable for what God has planned. Your kids’ [fill in the blank] has a purpose as well. God designed them for their specific divine tasks.
Just as they are.
Just where they are.
Just when they are.
Like Esther, God planted us on purpose and for a purpose.
So look around. Find your answer too why us? Always keep your eyes open and your hearts ready to be His purpose for your situation.
Share:
Follow:
