Read: Esther 1; Psalm 139:13-14

Examine: Often times we walk through situations and think to ourselves, “Why is this happening like this?” In that moment we can only see what is happening right in front of us, but God sees the entire story. God was writing your story before you were even in it. He was working before we existed, He is working in what we are walking through right now, and He already knows what is ahead. While we may not know the meaning to the things we face, God continues to work through every situation.

Apply: Talk with your student about a time when something in your life didn’t make sense at first, but later how you were able to see how God used it. Then share something that you’re walking through now that you need to trust God with.

Pray: Ask God to help you see that He is working, even when you may not be able to see or understand it right now.

Read: Esther 2:5

Examine: Have you ever been in a situation where you asked yourself, “why am I here?” Maybe you didn’t choose the team you were on, the class you were in, or the neighborhood you lived in. Esther probably never imagined she would become queen. She was an orphan being raised by her older cousin, she was oppressed, and was living far from her people. Nothing in her life was leading to becoming royalty. But like Esther, you are placed in positions for a purpose. God can use us in every situation we are in, even if we don’t understand why we’re there. You may feel unordinary, unqualified, or under prepared. But God could be setting you up to be a part of a much bigger purpose than we can see.

Apply: Think about the places God has put your student in, like their school, team, job, or friends. Talk with them and discuss what they think their purpose is in those places, and how God wants to use them.

Pray: Ask God to help you see the purpose in where He has placed you. Ask Him for the courage to point the people around you towards Him.

Read: Esther 2:21-3:15

Examine: Doing the right thing doesn’t always lead to a reward. Sometimes it can lead to something that could seem like it backfires on you. After saving the king's life, Mordecai wasn’t thanked or recognized. He was almost killed. It was starting to seem like Mordecai’s faithfulness led him nowhere, while his enemy’s power was growing. We all face moments when life seems unfair, or when it seems like the enemy is winning. Injustice was never in God’s plan, but He shows up in it to reveal His power. Even if we don’t always see it, God sees every wrong thing that is overlooked and He will ultimately see His power have the final word.

Apply: Talk with your student about a situation that felt unfair to you and/or them. Discuss how you can continue to be faithful when doing the right thing doesn’t seem to make a difference, or can even be painful.

Pray: Ask God to help you trust Him when life seems unfair. Pray for courage to keep doing what is right and to believe that He will ultimately have the final word.

Read: Esther 4:1-5:4, Mark 9:24

Examine: If you’ve ever tried to put a kid down to bed, you might have experienced just how resistant they can be to do something they don’t want to do. They might refuse, cry, delay, or even try to bargain. You could hear a response like “What if something bad happens? How will I know that I am safe?” When we are told to do something that we don’t want to do, we can often start to bargain or make excuses, especially when it’s God asking. Esther could have made excuses to not risk her life by going to the king. However, we see in her story that God rewards our belief and boldness. Our “what ifs” turn to “even ifs” when we trust and step into God’s plans for us.

Apply: Discuss with your student some “what ifs” that you both have asked God. What would it take for those “what ifs” in your life to turn into “even ifs” for you?

Pray: Ask God to give your family boldness to step into God’s plans that He is asking you to follow, and the belief that He is taking care of you throughout it.

Read: Esther 5:4-6:13

Examine: We almost never want to wait. Whether it’s a Summer blockbuster movie release you’re wanting to see, the long-awaited pumpkin spiced latte, or visiting a friend that you haven’t seen in a while, waiting is one of the hardest things to do. It’s even harder when the timing doesn’t fit into our plans. We can have it all laid out, but when a part or all of the plan gets delayed or detoured, we can struggle to see the purpose. Esther probably wished God would just snap His fingers and solve her problem right away. But that’s not what happened. What we can learn from Esther’s story is that His timing is more perfect than our most “perfect” plans. And often, what God does to us IN the wait is just as, if not more important, than what He does at the END of the wait.

Apply: Ask your student what is something that they are waiting for. Discuss what they think that God thinks of their plans, and how we should approach waiting for God’s plans to develop.

Pray: Thank God for His plans that He has for your family, and ask Him to grow you in the waiting.

Read: Esther 6:14-8:17; Psalm 89:14

Examine: Watching a great magician do a trick can be exciting, especially when the end result was not what you were expecting. It’s even more exciting when God shows up in our lives in ways that we didn’t expect. God rescued His people through an orphan girl who was queen to a foreign king. It can be hard to see what God is doing during our hardest moments, but we can trust that God delivers justice in His mercy. This truth in Esther’s story is a perfect example of the Gospel. While our sin needs payment (justice), we have a God that loves us enough to show us mercy by sending His Son to pay the punishment we deserve. God’s love completes our story in a way we could have never expected, but we can receive it with joy. The Author of the story always wins.

Apply: Show your student some extra grace and/or mercy this week. It could be in a consequence they have earned, or bending a rule to let them do something they normally wouldn’t be able to. Point out that, in your love, you are delivering a different result than they may have expected, much like Jesus did for us on the cross. And don’t forget to emphasize just how much you love them.

Pray: Ask God to remind you of His power over your story and how much He loves you.