“Though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. And if I must die, I must die” Esther 4:16c (NLT).
When Sarah made the decision to produce an heir through unconventional means, she was trying to take control of her life to achieve a desired result. At the heart of this decision was the fear that God would not give her a child and the assumption that she could not be happy without one.

In contrast, Esther chose to go before the king to plead for her people knowing that the result could well be her own immediate death. Esther was afraid of the consequences, but she came to a profound decision.

She chose to accept whatever God gave her. Unlike Sarah, who tried to manipulate life to give her the desires of her heart. Which leads to a difficult question: who am I more like, Sarah or Esther? If God denies me all that I dream, can I still trust him and be happy?

Can I wait to see if the Lord will give or withhold his blessings, and can I accept whatever he gives me? Honestly, if I could manipulate life to give me what I wish, I would be tempted to try it. But what would I forfeit with my impatience?

When I surrender all of my life and dreams, there is peace in knowing that the God of the Universe has ordered my life with love and wisdom. Even if I don’t like his decision.