Is it Time to Take the Next Step?

I wanted to talk a bit about Queen Esther today. If you aren't familiar with her story, it's interesting, to say the least!! The first time I learned about Esther was watching a Veggie Tales video, Esther - The Girl Who Became Queen, on VHS! That's how young my kids were when I bought it for them. 

It's a glossed over version, but it got my attention to actually read her story in the Bible.

In a search for a new queen, King Xerxes brings in all of the beautiful, young virgins from across his kingdom. In Esther's case, she received beauty treatments for 1 year before being brought before the king. One year!

Why is this important?

Well, as it's called in a devotion I recently completed (The Process of Promotion by Samuel Deuth), sometimes we have to go through a time of obscurity, or waiting, before we're ready for a task. 

God is like that. He doesn't just throw us into situations we're not prepared for, although sometimes it may feel like it to us. We've had years of training and experience to prepare us for what we're facing today.

The problem is when we let that time of waiting do one of two things:

First, we may use it to keep training, thinking we're not yet prepared or out of fear of taking the next step.

Or, the other, which is to give up and not use the training and experience we have to fulfill our purpose or dream that God put on our heart.

Esther used her gifts and training to save her people from annihilation.

Esther's uncle, Mordecai, told her that being queen may not save her or her family. "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 NKJV

Your aspirations or calling may not be that high, but don't underestimate the power of God! It's as much about the training as it is the obedience. When we train and train and train, we are not trusting that God has prepared us. In order to save her people, Esther had to put her life in danger. Anyone who went before the king without being called could be put to death if the king did not hold out his scepter to let them live.

She used her gifts and source of courage to save her family, her people and herself. Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and do scary things that don't make sense. The reward can be beyond anything we've ever imagined!

One of my friends turned 40 a few weeks ago - I know, she's just a babe - and I've gotten inspiration from her. She's learning to take care of herself when before she's always prioritized taking care of her family. She's also facing her fears. If she's afraid to try it, she's doing it!

I think we could all use a little bit of her inspiration, as well as Esther's.

Do hard and scary things. Use your gifts as God intended rather than sticking to your comfort zone.

No matter what it is you're working through (and I'm saying this as much to myself as all of you!), your time of obscurity may be coming to a close. You have to take courage and believe you are well prepared "...for a time such as this".

Ready, set, GO! It's time to take the next step!

In Courage!

Dani