Lessons From Esther

Excerpts from Esther, by Beth Moore

FEAR: The most critical breakthrough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to a place where we trust Him-period. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us.

Our only steadfast defenses against life's cetain uncertainty is unconditional trust in a Savior who loves us more than He loves His own life.

As hard as trusting can be, living with constant fear can be harder.

PERFECTIONISM: Perfectionism is a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as being unacceptable. I am not suggesting we should not do our best. I am simply saying that sometimes just surviving certain tasks without falling apart is our best and in those times God is not ashamed of our performance. He is proud of us for fighting overwhelming human emotions to do His will. God is not interested in our stellar performance but in our hearts. He loves our willingness and obedience despite our insecurities.

SELF: I have come to understand a little more about why Christ calls us to die to ourselves and follow Him. It is not because humanity is such a titanic disappointment and summarily unworthy of His love on our own. Amid all the depravity of this World, man is still God's prized creation and most valued treasure. Christ's purpose in calling us to deny ourselves is that we would deny our selfishness, ambition, pasts or any damaged emotions the right to cheat us of His far higher plans for us.

Our Creator unquestionably wants us to know that He is God and we are not, but He also wants us to see who we were meant to be when He formed us in His image.