Nehemiah 4:5
“Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.”
In this passage, Nehemiah and the Jews were attempting to build a wall for protection while two negative critics were trying their best to discourage the project. Yet the more they tried, the more the people were motivated to finish that wall.
As a matter of fact, verse 6 says, “So we built the wall…for the builders had a mind to work.” All the critics received from the Jews was a nasty prayer for God to wipe them out without forgiveness. Now, I am not suggesting that you pray fire from heaven on all your critics, bullies, or discouragers. The point I want to make is that the people handed the critics over to God and kept working.
It is difficult to stay encouraged when discouragement is constantly ringing the doorbell. Yet, we have to deal with it, because discouragement is a dangerous weapon against our faith and can drain our will to move forward. So, when you have to live in the face of discouragement or negativity, the best option is to hand it over to God and keep working.
Keep your eyes on the work. Keep your eyes on Jesus and pray for help. Depending on how you feel at the time, you might pray a strong, unforgiving prayer or a merciful prayer. But the point is, hand the bully over to God any way you want and He will take control of it. We don’t have time to waste on negativity.
“Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.”
In this passage, Nehemiah and the Jews were attempting to build a wall for protection while two negative critics were trying their best to discourage the project. Yet the more they tried, the more the people were motivated to finish that wall.
As a matter of fact, verse 6 says, “So we built the wall…for the builders had a mind to work.” All the critics received from the Jews was a nasty prayer for God to wipe them out without forgiveness. Now, I am not suggesting that you pray fire from heaven on all your critics, bullies, or discouragers. The point I want to make is that the people handed the critics over to God and kept working.
It is difficult to stay encouraged when discouragement is constantly ringing the doorbell. Yet, we have to deal with it, because discouragement is a dangerous weapon against our faith and can drain our will to move forward. So, when you have to live in the face of discouragement or negativity, the best option is to hand it over to God and keep working.
Keep your eyes on the work. Keep your eyes on Jesus and pray for help. Depending on how you feel at the time, you might pray a strong, unforgiving prayer or a merciful prayer. But the point is, hand the bully over to God any way you want and He will take control of it. We don’t have time to waste on negativity.
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
- How easily are you distracted by discouragers?
- What is something that God has called you to be a part of, where you are facing detractors?
- Take some time today in prayer to hand your discouragers over to God.
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams