Maintain a Faith-Filled Attitude

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Esther 4:15-16

Pray

Lord, remove my distractions and help me focus on truth from your Word.

Observe 

Our attitudes and choices reveal the depth of our commitment to God.

Faith is taking God at his word. It’s believing he is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, faithful, and true. It’s seen in our perspectives and attitudes. It is a mindset that God inspires us to pursue as we study the accounts of godly men and women who have gone before us. Esther, for example, was a courageous Hebrew woman whom God commissioned to deliver the nation of Israel. In her heroic story, found in the book of Esther, we discover Xerxes, king of Persia, chose her to be his queen.

Although Esther was admired by everyone who saw her (Esther 2:15) and loved by the king more than any other woman (Esther 2:17), she never allowed royalty and favor to impact her stellar character. Throughout the account of the Jews, frightening ordeal, Esther consistently displayed a gentle, merciful, humble, and courageous attitude.

In Matthew 5:1–12, most commonly referred to as the Beatitudes, Jesus describes eight attitudes we are to pursue, ones Esther exemplified beautifully.

Courageously maintain a faith-filled attitude by practicing the following Beatitudes.

1. Humility. Be humbly aware that you are spiritually bankrupt without Christ.

2. Sorrow. Be mournful over your sin and the moral decay in our world.

3. Gentleness. Be gentle as you respond and relate to others.

4. Desperation. Hunger and thirst in your pursuit of Christ-like behavior.

5. Mercy. Be generous and compassionate toward others in need.

6. Morality. Strive for moral purity in your thoughts and actions.

7. Harmony. Be peacemakers who desire wholeness in broken relationships.

8. Perseverance. Stand firm in your faith even when you are persecuted.

Interpret

As Christ-followers, we are to strive to maintain these attitudes, and in return, we will receive the blessings associated with each one.

Apply 

Which of the eight Beatitudes do you struggle to maintain? Pray and ask God to help you in courageously exercising this attitude today.

Pray

Father, give me the strength to be authentic in my walk with you and the courage to be faithful in my pursuit of righteousness. I am forever grateful you give me the ability to persevere and extend mercy to me each time I fall short.

This is an excerpt from Ann White’s 90-day devotional, “She Is Strong and Courageous”. Purchase the book here!