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. Knowing God’s will isn’t the tricky part in those instances. You’ve discovered the path, now 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 gates we can’t get through, obstacles and gates 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, NIV) Or is our right hand unaware of what our left hand is doing (Matthew 6:3, NIV), because we know we can’t lay claim to our obedience?
In our walk, there has to come a point where we block out the naysayers. A point when we stop surmising what we don’t have 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.
Wow, Scripturesque! How profound! I never heard that before! Thank you! That really helped me in a situation I am in! Thank you for this! I can’t tell you how much it means!
I so agree. I get as much out of the comments as the devotions! Junebug, I have to say, I always look forward to your comments. I can so relate to your fear. Thank you for sharing because now I know I’m not alone.
I'm so encouraged jesusgirl71. It's a really sweet thing to know that I'm working through this "fear stuff" with others here. Bless you dear sister. :)
Bianca,
Wow! I am doing “Jesus Calling” too! How neat! I love it!
Obedience – doing the right thing (whatever God has directed us to do) for the right reason (because God directed us and our love for Him) at the right time (no hesitation/no delay).
What a blessing you all have been today! I didn't get to post this morning, just a quick hello to Holly and then I had to go. But I finally got back to read your comments and wow…you have all ministered in a mighty way! I have nothing to say except one thing I have heard quite a bit through the years about the will of God: If you are walking with Him, hand in hand…doing your best to please the Lord, until He moves you to another place or opens another door, that IS the will of God for your life at that time. You ARE in the will of God!
Don't keep looking for it, worrying about it, wondering about it and driving yourself crazy thinking you have missed it. LIVE IN IT, Sister! You ARE in it! So seize the moment that He has you in for now! Be prayerful enough and sensitive enough to listen for His voice to know if it is time to move but otherwise keep working and doing and serving…that is the will of God.
Just a thought from the cheap seats :)
Love you all! You are the best! ♥
I sure am one that has a hard time understanding what the Lord's will is for me. Sometimes it is crystal clear, or so I think, then i'm not sure again… Patience is NOT my virtue! But if or when I think I should do something God has put on my heart, I am not one that's really bothered by what people think or say about what I do. I've been the decision maker (as I said before) and can handle some criticism or whatever. But now my concern would be disappointing or failing Him because i'm too rash or not understanding what He wants for me. I also don't want to be a quitter or not grow because something seems insurmountable. On one hand I can be stubborn as a mule when I want something, but other times I will take the easiest way and give up out of frustration! I guess I really need to apply "it's the carrying it out that stretches us" part of this devo. I need to believe He WILL give me success, if I just carry it out!
Peace and love to all my Sisters! :)
And He will, dear Ellen! Really wonderful thoughts that I so can relate to… I need to apply that part too! Carry on, sister in Christ! and He will carry you! Time to be stretched, I guess for both of us. I so often am concerned if I fail … especially HIM!
Peace, love and blessings as you're being stretched and carrying IT out,
Peggy
I just was thinking about this!! (and blogged about it: http://www.untilonlyloveremains.com/2013/05/a-cal… A wise lady once told me a something I will never forget:
"God does not call us to a place, He calls us to Himself"
when we seek Him will will always be smack in the middle of His will for us!
Love that! Thanks for sharing :)
And "smack" dab in the middle of His will is the only true safe place ANYWHERE!
Oh Elizabeth, that was really good! Thank you for sharing! Love your blog and blog post
"God doesn't call us to a place, He calls us to Himself"
Awesome! Beautiful! and ever so true… just like it's been said "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called." Took me awhile to get that!
I pray that Our MESSIAH meets you right in the middle of your MESS! Take a break in His arms! Your words touched my heart and I prayed for you!!! Lord Jesus, Surround Elizabeth and scoop her. for up in this time of STRESS, feeling overwhelmed, as she seeks You. Take away the anxiety and the irritability (I need that too) and fill us with Your heavenly peace and meet us where we are at… waiting! Thanks for the calling! Thanks for her heart and fill her overflowingly with Your love and reassurance of Your will and good for her… in Jesus' sweet name…
So my OBSERVATION for today's reading (after all that 2 part above):
We can TRUST in GOD to help us ACCOMPLISH His will!
We can TRUST GOD in our silence, in our "waiting in the work"!
and my APPLICATION (even though it has nothing to do with my previous lengthy explanation-lol)
Do you feel like you are being attacked? Are you up against a difficult situation or an imposing problem?
Run to God and know that He is with you and will protect you. Thank Him for protecting you in every circumstance—especially the one you are facing right now.
My INSPIRATION quote from my Bible's devo …
"You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you." ~ Max Lucado (Traveling Light)
Love it Peggy. So glad you are serving The Lord in Mexico. We have special ties there due to multiple mission trips. Where are you located?
Currently on the Pacific coast, in the area around Mazatlan, Sinaloa
So what part of Mexico do you all have ties with mission trips?
My home church goes to Puebla alot."Esperanza Viva" Now there is one closer on the border near Texas in Matamoros! God moved in my heart in another area since I came here back in 1995-96. My first trip as a high schooler, brought me through the mountains and around Mexico City, when I promised myself and God, I'd be back (just not in that area or Puebla). He spoke to me here and gave me a heart for His people that come from all over Mexico to here. Then later in 2007, spoke a new mission into my heart for the "trafficked". So I'm still waiting in that area as I pray, prepare and research and wait for doors or ministries to join hands because that is SUCH a BIG need and can be quite dangerous in the times as they are now with the increased violence, resistance, persecutions, etc. from the world and the drug cartels, etc. controlling so much, the corruption comes from the top all the way through to the bottom, endless injustices that break my heart time and time again.
oh and my first mission trip was short term with a student group in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon but was way too short for me. (that was in the early 90s)