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Nehemiah: Chapters 1-6
Let me start by saying this: I believed lies for so much of my life. I have recently become more intentional about learning and rehearsing the truth.
One of the biggest lies I believed?
If something gets difficult, God doesn’t want me to continue doing it.
Y’all, I can’t tell you how many times I knew I heard God tell me to move forward and I’d start strong—only to begin crafting my exit strategy at the first sign of adversity. Many opportunities were missed because I was operating from a lie rather than the truth.
I had an incorrect perception of adversity. I didn’t understand the importance of filtering my thoughts and decisions through God’s Word.
But I made a decision in recent years: I will live the life God has for me. I knew I had to study the Word of God and apply it to my everyday life to stay aligned.
Because when you know God’s Word, you develop a filter.
When thoughts come to mind, or you’re consuming information, you can quickly identify whether it aligns with the truth. You filter the information.
The Truth About Adversity
So, back to one of the biggest lies I ever believed:
If something gets difficult, God doesn’t want me to continue doing it.
Why did I hold on to this so passionately? Because I didn’t know the truth. I didn’t seek it. And my real enemy was counting on my ignorance—because as long as I stayed in the dark, I wouldn’t fulfill my purpose.
But here is the truth:
- Some assignments will be difficult.
- We will experience adversity.
- But we have to keep going.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
-John 16:33 HCSB
Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
-James 1:2-4 HCSB
So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.
-Galatians 6:9 HCSB
Let Nehemiah’s Story Encourage You
Nehemiah’s story encourages me to stay committed, even in the face of difficulties:
- He had a heart for God’s people. He cared about their condition (Nehemiah 1:1-4).
- He knew his assignment was God-given. He had a clear purpose (Nehemiah 2:4-5, 12).
- He experienced difficulties. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another (Nehemiah 4:1-3; 5:1-13; 6:1-7).
- But he kept going. He refused to be stopped (Nehemiah 4:6; 5:16; 6:8-9).
And in the end? The wall was completed.
The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. 16 When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
-Nehemiah 6:15-16 HCSB
You Can Do It
If God put something in your heart to do—do it.
Let’s commit to not letting difficulty stop the work. Let’s stand on the truth of God’s Word.
Get started. Keep going. Finish! I’m rooting for you.
Reflect
Has there been a lie that you once believed that kept you from moving forward? How did you overcome it?
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