What is your favorite season? For me, it is spring and Summer, but for many, it is fall. Don’t get me wrong; I love the beautiful colors of the leaves that the cooling weather brings and, of course, everything pumpkin. But you can keep the cold weather.

Throughout our lives, we have different seasons. Some are good, and some we may care to forget. Each season of life has a purpose if we use it to bring God glory.

For many years of my life, I have been hurt by others. The pain I endured through their words and actions shaped me into a shy, insecure woman. That was a hard season, but I surrendered my weakness to the Lord. It wasn’t easy. But it was entirely worth it. As I allowed God to help me forgive those who harmed me, He began to heal me. Then I began to take captive the lies I believed and instead believed what God says about me in His Word. Step by step, I surrendered each struggle to Him so that God would receive glory through my life. As I walked in obedience and helped others who also struggle with their past, He was and is glorified.

Each of our scars, visible and invisible, tells a story and can bring glory to God if we let it. (An excerpt from Broken But Not Discarded). Will you? Are you willing to say, “Here I am Lord; use me.”

Maybe the season you have been in, or are in now, is asking you to do something difficult. We find a woman in the Bible who was placed in a situation she did not ask for and for a task she did not volunteer for. This woman is Esther. King Nebuchadnezzar needed a new queen. He sent out a command and edict that all the beautiful young virgins were to be brought into the harem under the custody of Hegai, the King’s eunuch. Esther is one of these women. She had no choice; she was forced to leave behind all she knew for life in the King’s harem, with no idea if she would actually become queen or just be forgotten among the concubines waiting for the King’s visit.

Esther finds favor with the king and becomes his queen. She kept one important detail from the king, in obedience to her Uncle Mordecai: Esther was a Jew. In King Nebuchadnezzar’s court was an official, Haman. He hates Mordecai because he won’t bow down and show him the respect he believes he deserves. As revenge, he has the King sign an order to eliminate all the Jews.

Mordecai sends a message to Esther that she needs to plead with the King on behalf of her people. She was terrified. No one could enter inside the inner court without being summoned by the king, or they could be put to death. Mordecai encourages her,

“Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13b-14

This is Esther’s time. This is why God’s plan required her to be queen. She was put in a position to plead for her people’s lives. She asks Mordecai to have all the Jews hold a fast on her behalf for three days, and that she and her young women would do the same. She then bravely approaches the King and, after inviting him and Haman to a feast, tells him of Haman’s plot. Her people are saved. This is an amazing story, and I highly suggest you read the book of Esther for all the juicy details.

“God has placed you in this season, at this time, with these circumstances and these people, for a reason. He has a plan, and He wants to use you.” – Broken But Not Discarded

Whatever is going on in your life, “God has placed you in this season, at this time, with these circumstances and these people for a reason. He has a plan, and He wants to use you”. (Broken But Not Discarded.) It may not be easy, but like Esther, if you turn to God and pray for strength and wisdom, He will answer and help you.

Whatever season you are in, are you willing to use it to glorify God for such a time as this?

Are you willing to be brave and do what is needed in obedience? It may not be easy, but you are never alone. God will be with you each step of the way.