It never ceases to amaze me how you can set about to do something and then God steps in.
I have been studying Nehemiah off and on all summer. My bible study was on Nehemiah 4 this morning. Some highlights of my study include the following.
When the enemy hurls insults they are designed to hit at our weakest points, at the points where we have the least confidence. For the builders who were unskilled at stone masonry and building large fortified walls, like the pharisees, the leaders, the gold smiths, the perfume makers, and so many of the people of Jerusalem; I have to believe they would have doubted their abilities. The enemy knew that and as we look at the insults we see very targeted insults that build on discouraging them from the work Nehemiah calls them too.
Some of the things that God is trying to teach us include, when the enemy throws all kinds of insults and plants all kinds of seeds to discourage us and get us to want to give up, God wants us to come to him and lay out what is discouraging us and also what we want God to do about it so that we can continue with what God has called us to do.
Then God calls us to equip ourselves to make a defense and emphasizes the importance of working together, both in defense and also in the cause for which God is calling us to. For example, when Nehemiah calls the worker and the helper to stay inside the wall, God is calling us together to increase our strength and our awareness of the enemies’ attacks.
Finally, I believe Nehemiah 4 encourages us to confess any instances where we have allowed fear, doubt, or a lack of trust in God to guide our decisions.
What you don’t know is: I was up half the night last night because I wanted to quit. And I was frustrated because I was flying out on Friday to be in Kelowna for my dad’s surgery, and I really just wanted to drive the rig back to Kelowna and stay there. And this morning when I did finally get some sleep, I heard God clearly say do your Bible study before you do anything and remember you are in Nehemiah 4….
This post is that confession. Never has it been more clear to me and never have I felt less capable of fulfilling what God has called me to than today. I know I need to let God lead and direct me in how to engage the new community He has put me in and stop trying to do everything my way and with my strength, which is why I am so vulnerable to the attacks of doubt and the call God has placed on my life.
Just one more reminder that trusting God is a lifelong journey. Don’t travel alone.
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