After months of waiting, the sun finally broke free from the night and the dreaded day arrived, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

Yet God, in His amazing involvement in the story of Esther, had “turned the tables.”

Though Haman’s evil plan could not be stopped, the Jews were able to defend themselves from their enemy’s attacks.

The Jews went from possibly over-powered to having the upper hand.

Now they stood assembled…united.

Think for a second what the Jews must have went through as they waited months for this day to finally arrive. Each sunset drew them closer to their approaching doom. As days turned into months, the anti-Semitic mistreatment, which began first with Haman, had continued to grow day-by-day.

Sleepless nights became a norm and fear increased with each approaching sunrise.

But God turned the table on Haman’s evil plan and the Jews stood ready to defend themselves.

Armed with the new edict written by Mordecai, the Jews had a choice to make.Would they simply defend themselves, or would they retaliate?

The world tells us to fight back; “an eye for an eye” is the battle cry.

Yet the Jews choose to restrain themselves and use self-control instead.

“But they did not lay hands on the plunder.”

It was a right they could have taken.

The Jews had been given the same freedom to kill and plunder that their enemies had been given by Haman, yet they choose not to.

They defended themselves and their families from their enemies, but they stopped and did not venture into the land of revenge. Though they had the right, they did not plunder the property of their enemies.

What is our response suppose to be when God has “turned the tables” in our favor? Are we to retaliate the same way the world does? Are we to seek revenge?

Just because legally we can, doesn’t mean that morally we should.

That’s what we see in Esther 9:1-10.

The Jews legally had the right to kill anyone and everyone who came against them and to plunder their goods. But just because they had the right to do something, didn’t mean it was the right action to take.

So what is our reaction to those who plan to do us harm?

Look to God and pray your heart out.

Place your hurt, your pain, your heartbreak into His hands….and leave it there.

And when it all boils up in your heart, because it will….again and again, keep giving it to Jesus.

Trust Him.

Choose faith over your fear.

And remember, like in Esther, though you may not see God, He has not left you. God is at work in your life, He has a plan and a purpose and one day He will turn your sorrow into joy!

Love God Greatly!

Angela Perritt

Angela Perritt is the founder and director of LoveGodGreatly.com, a nonprofit online Bible study ministry reaching thousands of women in over two hundred countries around the world with God’s Word through their translated Bible studies. She and her husband live in Dallas, Texas with their three daughters. Angela is passionate about God’s Word and believes one woman in God’s Word can change a family, community and ultimately a nation. Her greatest joy is to encourage her children and others to love God greatly with their lives one day at a time. You can connect with her on Instagram.