If you and I are going to successfully fulfill the purposes of the Lord, it’s going to come down to our willingness to work and persevere when the going gets tough.

Nehemiah 4:10 (NIV®)             

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

 

Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king of Persia when he heard that Jerusalem was in ruins and the people were suffering. Nehemiah got permission from the king to go to the city and rebuild it. He recruited workers to reconstruct the massive walls, and the work was hard! The people were tired and discouraged and faced opposition—they wondered if their efforts were in vain. I don’t think things have changed much since Nehemiah’s day. If you and I are going to successfully fulfill the purposes of the Lord, it’s going to come down to our willingness to work and persevere when the going gets tough. When we are willing to invest our strength and our energy on behalf of the Kingdom of God, two things will happen: God will change us, and He will change things through us.

 

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank You for the faith of Nehemiah that spurred him on to rebuild Jerusalem all those years ago. I am grateful for his willingness to leave his position of comfort and accept Your invitation. Lord, grant me that same willingness, and perseverance when the tasks You have placed before me seem too hard or I face opposition. In Jesus’ name, amen.