When God Seems Absent and Everything Is Against You

Congregation: Short North
Series: Fear
Speaker: Joe Byler
Scripture Text: Esther 1-4

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Discussion Questions
  1. Esther is in the middle of a terrible circumstance. What hardship in her story stands out the most to you. What would you find hardest to deal with if you were her?
  2. We are given great detail about King Ahasuerus’ wealth and power but, as pastor Joe pointed out, God is not mentioned once in Esther. What is communicated by this?
  3. On the surface it seems like God is absent from this story. By taking a closer look, where can you see God in this story? Can you see Jesus?
  4. When have you felt like God is absent? What lies are you tempted to believe when God seems absent? How can we fight those temptations?
  5. What are things to remember so that we we can be confident that God is always with us and in control?
  6. Are there any ways that you see God’s working, through times where he seems hidden, as good and even beautiful?