READ: ESTHER 4:5-17; ROMANS 8:18-39

You may have heard of the old TV show Father Knows Best. This 1950s American sitcom was about a father and his family. You may or may not enjoy old black and white sitcoms, but the title might stir up some questions. It would be naïve to say that earthly parents always know best—they’re flawed people. But it is true that our heavenly Father knows best.

Yet, it doesn’t always feel that way. Many times, I’ve asked God why He didn’t give me the things I prayed for. I lamented to Him when opportunities slipped from my grasp. And I cried after I had doors of opportunity slammed in my face.

One Sunday, in the midst of lamenting over a lost relationship, I heard a sermon about the book of Esther. The pastor spoke about how, even though God isn’t mentioned by name in this Old Testament book, His handiwork is evident throughout the story. Reading it now, we can see God working through the good and the bad to deliver His people.

The problem is, Esther didn’t get a lovely printed, leather-bound version of her story. She lived it. She was placed in the middle of the threat of her people’s extinction and told to act at the risk of her own life. Maybe looking back, she could see how God worked through the good and the bad for His purposes, but maybe not.

The sermon on Esther comforted me. It reminded me that God does have a plan and He is working on it, even if He doesn’t give me all the details. In times of disappointment, I often fall back on the fact that God loves me and wants to show me His love. I know that God’s silence does not equal His absence. Jesus is with me no matter what, and He is working out His good purposes through it all. • Naomi Zylstra

• Can you think of a time you prayed for something you didn’t receive? How did that feel?

• In times of disappointment and heartache, God does not stand far off. He is so very near, longing to wrap us in His arms and remind us that He sees, and He cares. That’s why He invites us to honestly lament—to tell Him all about our pain and what we want Him to do about it. As we lament, we can remember that Jesus weeps with us and that He is working, not only for His glory, but also for our good. Consider taking some time to pour out your lament to Him today.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 (NLT)