How to overcome discouragement 10 times!
Have you ever felt like everyone was against you? Me too. It happens to all of us. It seems to happen more when we have a goal and are working towards something. Nehemiah had it with opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod! Not only that, but, “Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, ‘Wherever you turn, they will attack us.’” Not only did Nehemiah have 2 individuals and 3 people groups against him, but he had the very people that he was serving coming back again and again and again and again with negativity! How did he endure?
Do you remember back a few weeks to the title of the Nehemiah 2 article? It was called ‘Your hand to success’. It was God’s hand that helped him get started. It is God’s hand that is going to keep him going through this discouragement. Nehemiah 4:14 says, “Don’t be afraid. Remember, the Lord who is great and awesome.” Nehemiah went back to the foundation of his call, when he spent 9 months developing his burden. Had Nehemiah not started with a developed burden from God’s hand, how do you think he would have responded in this situation?
Peace,
Brad Schelling
