Have you ever wondered how you can trust God when you don’t understand what He’s allowing to happen right now?
“So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai.” (Esther 7:10a, NIV)
In Esther 7, we read an account of Haman’s downfall, the man who was planning to kill the Jewish people.
Haman’s pride backfired, and his evil intentions led to his own humiliation. Ultimately Haman, the one who had been scheming to kill others, became the one begging for his own life. The very gallows he built to kill Esther’s beloved relative and guardian, Mordecai, became the place his own death took place:
“So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai” (Esther 7:10, NIV). He ate the fruit of his own wicked schemes.
No human could have possibly arranged for all this to happen… but God could. Even though God’s name is not specifically mentioned in the book of Esther, here we learn that sometimes, God does incredible moves without calling any attention to Himself at all. Esther certainly did her part, as did many others. But they didn’t do the wrong things to try and bring about the right things. Doing things God’s way and in God’s timing is the right way and the right timing.
This isn’t the only time in scripture where an evil plan looked like it was going to win. In the life of Jesus, his enemies (King Herod, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and Pontius Pilate to name a few) all believed they had created a foolproof plan to get rid of the Messiah and to overthrow His reign.
But the men who came against Jesus weren’t the only villains in the story. The ultimate villain was the enemy, Satan. But the irony is that the very plan of the enemy led to the redemptive story of Jesus’ resurrection. Evil forces set Jesus on the journey to the cross, but with every step Jesus takes, evil was closer to defeat.
In a similar reversal, the agenda and strategy of Haman brought about his own demise. In both Esther and Jesus’ story:
- There was an evil plan.
- There was an enemy.
- Innocent people were going to be destroyed if someone didn’t step in to save them.
- A hero came from humble beginnings and looked nothing like what the people expected.
- The heroes remained humble and honored God in their approach to handling the dire situation.
- The heroes were uniquely positioned by God to fulfill the plan of God.
- The heroes set aside what was best for them for a greater purpose.
In the case of Haman’s death, it was the guilty dying in place of the innocent. In the case of Jesus, the innocent died in the place of the guilty.
Oh friend, I pray we cling to this truth today: Darkness, sin and hopelessness have been overcome. Jesus did it for me. And He did it for you. Jesus loves you. Jesus sees you. The battle you’re facing, no matter how dark it feels, isn’t hopeless. We may not be able to see victory right now, but because of Jesus, evil is in the process of being ultimately defeated. The world as we know it now, plagued with sin and pain, is not our home. The new heaven and new earth are closer than we think (Revelation 21:3-8). But for now, our assignment is to keep following God and keep trusting Him.
I know that’s not easy, especially when so much of what we are facing feels incredibly unfair. Sometimes I think I hold on to the burden of unfairness because I don’t see tangible evidence of God doing anything. But this is what I’m reminding myself of: we don’t serve a do-nothing God. Even in the silence, the unknown, and the places where it looks like evil is winning, He is working. We may experience evil in this world, but even still, God reigns over evil. There is a Savior of the world who will right all the wrongs. Even if it takes a really long time and even if I don’t see it in my lifetime. Victorious Jesus will have victory in the wrongs done to you and the evil committed against you. This doesn’t mean we give up. It means we’re giving over to God what was never ours to carry.
In the meantime, we simply have to have room for what we don’t understand … for the mystery of God. Romans 11:33-36 reminds us of this:
“Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.” (CSB)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, purify my heart today. I trust You to handle any and all outcomes that I feel unsure of or overwhelmed by. I lay down situations that are worrying me. Help me to be obedient to You. I want to walk in step with You, Your ways, and Your timing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This is an adapted article from Lysa TerKeurst’s book I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t.
Have you ever thought, how can I trust God when I don’t understand what He’s allowing to happen right now? Lysa TerKeurst has been there. In her new book, I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t, Lysa will help you release the heavy mental and emotional weight of what you don’t understand by learning how God’s justice will always prevail. To grab a copy of Lysa TerKeurst’s book I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t, click here.
Check out this episode of The Grove Podcast, Shelley Giglio and Lysa TerKeurst unpack practical ways to move forward from places of hurt and how to invite life-giving community back into your life when fear feels overwhelming.
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