Why Are You Here?

Read Esther 4:14

This year for Self-Denial, we’re exploring the theme Hope Revealed. The goal is to answer some tough questions and discover the hope that God has for us and for the world.

Hope isn’t just crossing your fingers and wishing for something—like when you blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Hope is knowing that God is exactly who he says he is, and he’s going to do everything he’s promised.

Throughout the Bible, people face tough questions. A lot of times, they seem difficult or even kind of random. But by asking those questions, they opened the door to possibilities they never imagined. So, this year, let’s dig into some big questions and see what kind of hope gets revealed for us, our communities and the world.

The first question is: ‘Why are you here?’, Why are you in your school, community, church or family?

And the answer is… ‘For such a time as this’.

In the Bible, there’s a girl named Esther. Esther was one of only a small group of Jews in the Persian Empire. She, through winning a competition from the King, became the Queen, and throughout her story courageously stood up and spoke out. One of these situations was when a guy named Haman convinced the King that he should pass a decree to kill all of the Jews. The King was not aware that Esther was a Jew, but she went and convinced the King to reverse the decree, saving her people. 

God used her to save an entire group of people. She didn’t let tough situations stop her from trusting God. She believed she was in that place for a reason.

So, why are YOU here? You’re here because God loves you so much. You’re here because God has big plans for your life. 

You’re here because the hope God gives you can be shown through how you live and interact with the people around you.

Even if things are hard, God can use you to share his love and hope with others. Your willingness to be where you are, combined with God’s blessing, can be a gift of hope for everyone around you.

God’s given you this moment in time—what are you going to do with it?

• What’s one thing you can do today to remind yourself that God has a purpose for you?

• How can you share the hope God has given you with others in your school, community or church? What’s a simple way to be a light in your everyday spaces?

This week, take a moment each day to ask God why he has placed you where you are. Reflect on how you can be open to his plans and how you can make a difference in the lives of others.

This week, take a moment each day to ask God why he has placed you where you are. Reflect on how you can be open to his plans and how you can make a difference in the lives of others.