Progress Despite Opposition

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 4:1-23, Psalm 41:4-13, 1 Peter 5:6-11

The other day I was sitting on the living room floor with my two young kids surrounded by multicolor blocks. Construction was well underway on our tallest tower to date when one of my children launched themselves like a missile straight into our masterpiece. Blocks went flying. Tears started flowing (maybe mine). 

It’s hard to keep building when you know someone is ready to knock down your progress. While wooden blocks are no big deal, I also know the challenge of taking risks and pouring effort into a project when you feel opposition all around you. We see this truth in our lives and in Scripture, progress rarely coming without a fight. 

In Nehemiah 4, the Israelites were working hard to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. They were stepping into the back-breaking work God had called them to, and immediately they faced ridicule. They were called weak, feeble, and even foolish. Their lives were at risk as they built with one hand and carried a weapon of defense in the other. 

Can we relate? We may not be rebuilding an ancient wall, but we are building the kingdom of God in our homes, relationships, ministries, businesses, and more. As we step out in faith, we may face criticism from others, hostile circumstances, or destructive lies that try to knock us down.

However, Nehemiah didn’t let mockery and threats derail the mission. Instead, he directed the people to remember God’s great power. This wasn’t toxic positivity, it was a call for courageous dependence. Nehemiah reminded the people that the outcome doesn’t depend on their skill but on the “great and awe-inspiring Lord” (Nehemiah 4:14).

He also encouraged the people to remember who they were fighting for: their families and communities. As Christ followers, we shouldn’t join in God’s work for our own glory but because we are motivated by love of God and His people. When the going gets tough, remembering who we’re building with and who we’re building for can renew our strength.

If we are committed to any meaningful call from God, we should actually expect problems to arise. As the apostle Peter made clear, “Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (1Peter 5:8). Whether we realize it or not, when we do the Lord’s work we take sides in a spiritual battle. The enemy wants to destroy our hope and distract us from God’s call, but Nehemiah and Peter both urged us to resist and stand firm in faith. Progress in the face of opposition isn’t about striving; it’s about relying on God’s strength. 

Problems don’t necessarily mean we’re doing something wrong; they might mean we’re doing something right that the enemy wants to squash.

We may be mocked. We may feel outnumbered. But we do not build alone. The great and awe-inspiring Lord has our backs. What God started He will finish victoriously, and we are blessed to join Him in His restoring work. 

Written by Kaitie Stoddard