Part 1:Overcoming Adversity-Wisdom from Nehemiah's Story.
Are you building anything this year?
I looked up definitions of the word build, here is one that stood out for me; to make (something) by putting together parts or material. To develop or form (something) gradually.
Again, are you building anything this year? Though we might be building different things, the answer is probably "YES". It might be your faith, friendships, finances, fitness, family etc. Here are some valuable lessons from his journey that are currently helping me that I feel can help you too in your journey as you build: 1. Have A clear vision and Purpose, 2. Planning and preparation is key 3. Overcome the fear,4. Celebration and Gratitude, 5. Prayer and complete dependence on God. Nehemiah 2:1-5 reads as follows; "In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
In whatever you are working towards, keep the vision where you can see it, speak over it and believe that things will work out. If it's a big savings account you want to have by end of the year, go on and print the dollar bill. Paste it where you can see it everyday.
When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he spent time assessing the situation, planning the project, and organizing the people. He understood that proper planning is crucial for success and that preparation is essential for overcoming challenges. This reminds us of the importance of careful planning and preparation in achieving our goals and facing difficulties effectively. You will need to have an action plan, what you will do daily in order to achieve your goal. Be it walking everyday for 30 minutes or drinking 2l of water as your build a healthier you. He also faced opposition and fear from the people around him. Some people were probably projecting their own fears and it has nothing to do with his abilities. However, he didn't allow fear to deter him from his goal. Joyce Meyer says "feel the fear and do it anyway".
Part of the reason why Nehemiah might have been afraid is because he wasn't a builder, he was a cupbearer. I can almost imagine what people might have been saying to him at that time, "You have never built anything, stick to what cupbearers do". In your case, you might be told "no one in your family has ever owned a business", "it is not possible to be debt free, everyone takes out debt". God put that desire in you and not them for a reason. Launch out and find out what you are capable off. If you are not familiar with the story of Nehemiah, please spend a day reading 1 chapter. It is only 13 chapters and it will change your life. In the next post, I will cover the other two lessons.