How Do You Handle the Difficult Situations of Life, Part 1

Scripture: Esther 4:1-5

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.  Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

Insights: This week’s Thoughts by Scott will be a serious of questions dealing with difficult situations and trails in our lives as well as in the lives of those around us.  Let me quickly set the scene for this weeks verses.  Esther won a beauty pageant and became queen.  The vile Haman has outlined a plan to exterminate the Jews and the king has signed off on it.  Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, has heard of the decree and responds with the verses we read today.  Notice with me that Mordecai has turned to the Lord in this time of crisis.  He is weeping and wailing while fasting and sitting in ash with sackcloths on his body.  The fasting indicated that he has turned his attention to the Lord as the only One who can rescue him from his present predicament.  We also see in these verses that Esther, even though she was incapable of going personally to find out what had happened to Mordecai, has sent a messenger to bring her news.  She was deeply concerned about her cousin’s well being.  It is note worthy to mention that Mordecai had raised Esther since she was a little girl.  He was for all practical purposes, her father figure.  Beloved, in these verse we see two truths that ought to be applied to our lives as well.  Firstly, when we are in difficult situations, we ought to turn to the Lord for help.  Secondly, when we see others in difficult situations, we ought to inquire of them directly and see if there is any way we can help assist them in their time of crisis.  Let us honor the Lord with our faith and trust in Him and our compassion for those in distress.

Questions:

1.  To whom do you turn when trials come?

2.  How do you respond to the trials of others?

Prayer: Father, when trials come my way, grant me the grace to turn to You quickly and when I watch others going through a trial, let me be a blessing to them, not a hinderance.  Amen.