I have a younger sister.
She’s beautiful, generous, hilarious, and has the best hair ever. That hair… really. She searches high and low for the perfect gifts for her friends, she rarely says “no” when it’s in her power to help, and she loves Jesus with everything that she has.
And her summer didn’t turn out like she thought it would.
In April, her six-year old was diagnosed with cancer. A cancer that would require aggressive inpatient chemo for four straight months. A cancer that meant moving states to get closer to treatment and family. A cancer that required balancing hospital, work, and two other children at home on an amount of sleep that no one should ever have to survive on. A cancer that would challenge the comfort and stability of life that so many take for granted.
I’ll never forget the day she called me to tell me the news. I couldn’t stop crying, and she was on the other end of the line consoling me. Telling me that God is good. That’s just who she is.
Oh, she could have let things like fear, resentment, anger, exhaustion, and selfishness take over. And who would have blamed her, really? But every time I spoke with my sister, something completely counter-circumstantial came out of her mouth. Her response to the life that she never would have planned?
She praised God, and she served others.
She publicly shared her faith in bold ways, consistently taking the focus off of herself and instead pointing people to Jesus. She filled her mind with the truth of God’s Word and gave thanks in trial after trial. Her countenance was one of joy, demonstrating her full trust in her powerful God. She sacrificially served in the hospital room day and night and spent her rare free moments collecting dozens of gifts to encourage other pediatric cancer patients and their families.
She gave of herself over and over again, because as a servant of Christ, she knows that her life is meant to be given away.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of all of this? When I asked her if I could share her story with you all, her only request was, “Just make sure it’s not about me. Make it all about Jesus. Lift His name high.”
It’s not about me. Wow.
Esther, Chapter 1 tells a much different story. King Xerxes’ life was all about him.
“For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.” ~ Esther 1:4
His kingdom.
His majesty.
His name.
And when all of Xerxes’ planning and power and confidence didn’t get him what he wanted?
“Then the king became furious and burned with anger.” ~ Esther 1:12
I get it.
I crave order. I like predictable. I love it when a good plan falls into place.
All of that feels safe in the moment. It feels responsible. In control. It doesn’t make me too uncomfortable, and it saves my reputation a whole lot of the time.
But what is my response when plans don’t go my way? Will I “praise God and serve others?” Or will I “become furious and burn with anger?”
The world will tell us that we deserve to hold onto fear, resentment, anger, exhaustion, and selfishness. It will tell us to fight for our comfort and our reputations. It will tell us to look out for ourselves and to elevate our “kingdoms” at any cost.
But as a servant of God, I’m called to a different standard. I’m called to embrace God’s sovereignty even in less than ideal circumstances. To be a light in a world that desperately needs to see Jesus. To lay down my life, so that my Savior’s name might be lifted high.
God, help me to focus on Truth instead of the trial.
Help me to give thanks instead of giving into fear.
Help me to choose joy instead of anger.
Help me to trust in Your power instead of my plan.
Help me to elevate Your name instead of my own.
Whenever someone tells my story… may they say that it was never about me, and all about Him.
“Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory…” ~ Psalm 115:1
At His feet,
*LET’S TALK: Are you currently walking through a trial that has challenged your response? How can you respond in a way that gives glory to God?
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I am from eatonton, georgia & this passage really spoke out to me. It reminds me a lot of my mom & I wanted to share & brag about my mom as well.
My mom is an only child. She was 5 when her parents go divorced & her biological dad left her & her mother.
My grandmother found the man God sent her & took my mom in with nothing but love. He finally was able to adopted her.
Years after my mother had my sister & was pregnant with me, her adopted father was murdered.
5 & a half years later, her mother died in a single car accident.
She was hurt, she was changed. But as a mother of two girls & a wife, she has never once tried to give up. She got up on her feet knowing she had a family to raise & a husband to grow with. She makes everything so positive in her life, she always smiles & she pours her soul into all the people around her.
Now her testimony is nothing but GOD. She has God in her heart & soul & HE is the one who gets her through everyday with a smile on her face!
Awwwwww
Such a beautiful testimony. Thank you for sharing with us.
Nothing but God! I love that expression. Bless you dear.
I see this in work. My job is challenging, seems like every day there is something to complain about, and I do at times. However, this post and the verse about doing work as unto the Lord convicts me. I want to be of excellent spirit and continue character and integrity. You never know who is watching your walk with God and I want Him to get all glory and praise.
Thank you for joining us and sharing! We are so glad you are here.
Today’s passage and blog spoke to me and hit the nail on the head. I am homeschooling my five-year-old daughter, and depending how our day starts off, I always hope to do my Bible studies before school to put my mind in the right mindset. I really believe starting off in God’s word every day helps me keep the right focus. But I didn’t do it today like I’d planned. We instead had a slow morning and got started on school work late. She kept distracting from the schedule of our curriculum with her imagination and school play ideas. I internally struggled with how to keep us on task. And at some point resigned myself to the fact that this is just how the day is going to go. Then I’m reading this blog as we eat lunch, and can see where I failed her so much. Instead of giving her love and allowing her imagination to add to our day, I let it frustrate me and cause me stress. With our homeschool I want us to be flexible, and most of all to enjoy our day. God can use his word to speak to us in any way, and in any situation. I’m so thankful for him and his word! Thank you for this Esther study!
Homeschooling! I can’t even imagine. Prayers for you as you get into a routine that works for both of you. Thank you for joining us and sharing your story.
Crystal, we just sent our homeschooled daughter off to college in August! MANY days were NOT what I planned while we were schooling at home. I feared I was failing her and most days I wondered if I could really prepare her for college. 100k in scholarships and a 100% on her first Physics exam and I can tell you loving your daughter, being home with her and making everyday things teachable moments and instilling a love for learning will all be more than enough even if it feels all over the place. -Chelle
Oh boy! Where do I start? I feel like the pompous King who has set up her kingdom above ALL things! I’ve been ruled by my pleasures, my feelings, my emotions, my need for control. I’ve become hardened because of things in my past and hurt from abuse as a child by my father as well as past relationships, which has caused me to carry a load of baggage into my marriage. My lack of servant’s heart is really affecting my home. This devotional really hits home for me. I’m on a pursuit for my ideal career yet hear The whispers of the Lord telling me that my focus should be at home with my children and my husband. Please pray for me to be obedient to God because I know that his will is exactly where I need to be! It’s really exactly where I want to be!!!
I am facing some difficult trials in my life and really needed to hear this today. God knows what we need and gives it to us at just the right time. He is so good and deserves our praise! Thank you for the timeliness and deep meaning of this message, Whitney!
God is absolutely always with you beloved. It’s well with us. Much love.