Esther 4:14 "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this."

Think

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it" Have you ever faced a situation where you knew what you should do, but fear paralyzed you? That is exactly what Esther went through. Esther was a seemingly ordinary young woman who was put in a unique circumstance when she was chosen to be the Queen of Persia. As prime as this position seemed, however, it became a battle. At one point, she had an opportunity to stick up for what was right and save her people, the Jews, from persecution. But doing so could cost her everything. She had to make a choice between being led by her fear or by her faith in God. Ultimately, Esther placed her trust in God and even came to the point of saying, "I'm going to do what is right. And If I perish, I perish." Maybe you have an opportunity to make a difference, but you are faced with a tough choice. Maybe you need to stand your ground, but you are tempted to back away. Many times, those opportunities come down to fear versus faith. Have you ever let fear stop you from trusting in God? Don't give in to the lies the enemy feeds you. Instead, trust God to help you stand up for what is right, and discover how faith in God can beat your fear every time!

Act

Go back and read this entire story of courage found in the Old Testament book of Esther. Then, write down this acrostic for "fear" and place it somewhere you will see it often: False Evidence Appearing Real!

Pray

God, thank you for giving me opportunities to make a difference. I ask for your discernment to see when you are giving me a chance to step up for what is right, even if I don't know the outcome. Give me your courage to battle the fears that I know you can help me overcome. Amen!