Nehemiah 4:10New International Version (NIV)
10 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.”
Discouragement is an easy trap this time of year. For us in the midwest, the sun may hide behind clouds for days. It gets cold, damp, and dreary. Soon our attitudes and outlooks on life may change.
Nehemiah fought discouragement in building the wall for Jerusalem. He faced sarcasm and mocking, which lead to opposition, criticism, and finally conspiracy. It is said that the conspiracy actually threatened to stop the building project.
There were 4 causes of discouragement in verse 10 that I believe will give us insight in how to discover the tendencies of discouragement.
- A loss of strength: Usually loss of strength is due to working or over working for long periods of time.
- A loss of vision: The confusion of the clutter in life can overwhelm a person, and a goal vision a person has can be lost.
- A loss of confidence: If a person loses confidence in accomplishing a task, discouragement to seep in.
- A loss of security: If a person loses a sense of security in a vision of a goal or task, that person can loose heart.
Maybe today you are fighting discouragement or have been in the battle of it, and you are wearing out and becoming discouraged. Remember these words in Nehemiah 4:14, ‘Don’t be afraid of the enemy. Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!’
Men, the Lord promises to help us overcome!
Strength and Courage
Michael
