“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place.” (Est. 4:14)
Expanded Passage: Esther 4:12-14
I chose to take a weight-lifting class in college rather than an endurance course because the thought of running miles for homework was almost too much to bear. During the eight-week course, I learned basic nutrition for performance and recovery, how to lift using proper form, and what happens to our bodies when we practice resistance training. Weight lifting causes muscle fibers to break down and then rebuild, which leads to increased strength and muscle mass. Over time, lifting weights prepares our muscles for heavier and heavier lifts.
The same can be said about trust. Trust is built over time as we face situations that increasingly challenge our need for control. Mordecai would have grown up hearing the stories of God’s faithfulness to Israel. Surely, there were times in his own life when God proved worthy of trust. Nonetheless, it did not look good for the Jews in Susa. This situation would require an even heavier lift of trust. Mordecai was up for the task. Instead of drowning in fear, anxiety, and anger, he expressed deep confidence that the Jews would be delivered one way or another.
Facing next-level trust situations can leave us feeling weak. And it’s natural to feel our confidence waver under the weight. But, like Mordecai, we can recall the faithfulness of God and step into deeper trust no matter how bleak the circumstances.
Choose to keep building your trust by relying on God.
Samantha Freds is an ordained pastor in The Wesleyan Church. She enjoys being active outside and spending time with her husband and two little girls.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
