Day 6 of 6 — Pioneering Faith. About 3 minutes.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Nehemiah 6:3
Nehemiah had already faced ridicule, threats, discouragement, and opposition.
But eventually his enemies tried something different.
Instead of attacking the work directly, they tried to pull Nehemiah away from it.
They sent word asking him to meet with them.
Nehemiah understood what was happening.
He answered with one of the clearest statements of focus in the entire book.
I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.
Nehemiah was not saying that he was great.
He was saying that the work God had given him mattered too much to abandon it for every distraction that came along.
That is a lesson we need.
Not every opportunity deserves your attention.
Not every criticism deserves a response.
Not every disagreement requires your involvement.
Not every distraction is obviously bad.
Sometimes the things that pull us away from what God has given us to do can look important.
But if we are not careful, we can spend so much time responding to everything around us that we stop doing the thing God actually called us to do.
Nehemiah knew his assignment.
There was still a wall to build.
There were still people depending on his leadership.
There was still a work that had not been finished.
So he stayed on the wall.
As you finish this week, think about what God has placed in front of you.
Maybe it is growing in your walk with Him.
Maybe it is serving faithfully.
Maybe it is discipling someone.
Maybe it is reaching your family, raising your children, building your marriage, or faithfully carrying out the responsibilities God has given you.
Whatever it is, distractions will come.
Some will be obvious.
Others will look important.
But faith learns to say, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.
Stay faithful.
Stay focused.
Keep building.
Growth principle: Faith does not allow every distraction to pull it away from the work God has given it to do.
Take it with you: Identify one distraction that has been taking your attention away from something God has clearly given you to do. Choose today to give that responsibility your focus again.
Pause and pray: Lord, help me recognize the work You have placed before me and remain faithful to it. Give me wisdom to know what deserves my attention and strength to stay focused when distractions come. Help me keep building until the work You have given me is finished. Amen.
From Sunday’s message: Faith That Attempts Something Greater (Nehemiah 1-2)
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