Day 2 of 6 — Pioneering Faith. About 3 minutes.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Nehemiah 1:4
Nehemiah saw a need in Jerusalem, but he did not respond by asking why somebody else had not fixed it.
The need became personal.
When he first heard about Jerusalem, Nehemiah was hundreds of miles away. He could have shaken his head, talked about how terrible the situation was, and then returned to his normal life.
Instead, he sat down and wept.
He fasted.
He prayed.
And when he prayed, he did something especially important. He did not stand at a distance pointing his finger at everyone else.
He confessed the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee (Nehemiah 1:6).
That tells us something about a godly burden.
A burden is more than noticing a problem. It is a concern that becomes personal enough that we begin asking God what part we should have in it.
Criticism says, why isn’t somebody doing something?
A burden asks, Lord, what can I do?
That difference matters.
It is easy to see what could be better in a church, a family, a workplace, or even somebody else’s life. We can identify weaknesses and explain exactly what somebody else ought to do.
But when God gives us a real burden, He often turns the question around.
What are you willing to do?
Nehemiah eventually stood before the people of Jerusalem and said, Ye see the distress that we are in.
Notice that word: we.
Then he said, Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem.
Again: us.
He had made their problem his problem too.
There are needs around you today. Some of them may not be yours to solve. But perhaps there is one God keeps bringing back to your attention.
Someone needs encouragement.
Someone needs the gospel.
Someone needs to be discipled.
Something needs to be built.
Instead of only asking why somebody else has not done something, ask a different question. Lord, what part can I have?
A critic can point at the empty space.
A burdened person begins asking how God might use him to help fill it.
Growth principle: A godly burden moves us from pointing out the problem to asking what part God wants us to have in the solution.
Take it with you: Think of one need God has repeatedly brought to your attention. Ask Him today what part you can have, then be willing to follow His answer.
Pause and pray: Lord, keep me from becoming someone who only sees what others should do. Give me a genuine burden for the needs You place before me and a willing heart to do my part. Amen.
From Sunday’s message: Faith That Attempts Something Greater (Nehemiah 1-2)
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