Text: Nehemiah 2:9-20
Knowing God’s will for our lives can be tricky. I’ll admit, I’ve tried to circumvent the process a time or two. (If you happen to check my browser history, please ignore the Google search, “How do I know God’s will for my life?” And please also ignore anything having to do with rashes.)
But other times, God’s will is as clear as day. Or in Nehemiah’s case, as we read earlier this week, it can be as clear as an obvious statement from God. In those instances, knowing God’s will isn’t the tricky part. Once we’ve discovered the path, it’s the carrying it out that stretches us.
Walking in His ways won’t always be popular. Others will be “very much disturbed.” (Nehemiah 2:10, NIV)
We may not have a team standing alongside of us, just a few helpers and the shirt on our back.
There will be obstacles and gates we can’t get through, and upon careful examination, we’ll realize the daunting task before us.
We’ll search our motives. Are we telling everyone, for our own glory, what God put on our hearts to do as an act of obedience (Nehemiah 2:12)? Or is our right hand unaware of what our left hand is doing, because we know we can’t lay claim to our obedience (Matthew 6:3)?
In our walk, there has to come a point where we block out the naysayers. A point when we stop surmising what we’re lacking to accomplish the task and when we stop examining how very hard it will be.
There comes a point, with a prayer and pure motives, where we just begin the good work.
In spite of the seemingly insurmountable, the mockery and ridicule, He will give us success.
Just begin the good work.
Relying – clinging – abiding in Jesus! Must rely on Christ and His power to work in us!! Ephesians 2:8-10
Transition is hard and it burns my heart, but I have to lean on our God to get me through. His will will be done!
GOD give me wisdom to know your path and courage to carry it out! May your will be done!
I know this study is months old but it’s so relevant for where I’m at today. Our production company experienced a huge change this year that left us without any real revenue for the past 3 months- and, as the business is run by just my husband & I, the stress of this change has been overwhelming. So many days I want to give up, but don’t even know what that would look like. But God! He reassures my heart by sending laborers across our path to make sure we have groceries and to tell us to keep this business going! To make sure our bills get paid, and to help us grow rather than crumble in this truly trying season. And so we wait but we work, knowing what God has put before us involves much work…yesterday encouraged me so deeply bc Nehemiah waited 4 months for his chance to plead his case to the King. & now today is all about doing the WORK- rolling up your sleeves & digging in by faith, not by sight of circumstance but the unseen, and I needed to hear that so much.
Praying for every girl who commented before me to daily walk in Christ’s divine footsteps & fulfill the call on each of her lives. We can do it, with His help. Thank you SRT for this study!
This study has been so great because I am going into a transition period from college to the “real world.” This study has given me so much comfort of seeing God’s will for my life and caring through with that plan even though it’s not comfortable. Though God puts us through the uncomfortable, we can see how it is for our good and His glory!
It’s true! That transition is so difficult because it’s the time in one’s life where there’s very little dialogue about it. So it really is a wilderness in itself. I felt so lonely during that time and was tempted that God had forsaken me because I felt such a disconnect with my family and friends, to the point where one day their were my support and the next they were my naysayers. I didn’t know what to do except turn to him in desperation. It truly the one way in and out! Lol.
I’m loving this bible study so far. It’s so helpful for me and poignant as I’m about to move to a different city and country to pursue God’s call on my life. It’s a step towards my ultimate hopes and dreams but a big faith-filled step nonetheless and having this reminder is teaching me a lot. Thanks so much for putting it together xo
Sometimes the biggest naysayer living inside of us and not outside of us
How true, Shanee! You\’re right. Thanks for sharing with us today!
xoxo-Kaitlin for She Reads Truth