Sunday, February 1, 2015

The Daily Battle

Ever have one of those days that turns into one of those months or even one of those years. It seems like I am in that season. Like everywhere I turn there is opposition, or attack, something else challenging and overwhelming.

It has been this season at my school with my amazing co-workers. People who are working hard everyday, people giving of themselves and doing the right thing, but everywhere we turn...opposition. My wonderful, Godly Principal addressed this at a faculty meeting recently. He talked about the story of Nehemiah in the Bible and the rebuilding of the wall.  Maybe you are not familiar with this story...

Nehemiah surveys the wall around Jerusalem and finds that it is destroyed, in total shambles. This is God's city and God's people and they are in ruins. So he calls together the people and rallies everyone to rebuild the wall. YES! They all agree that this is what God would want...to rebuild this wall.

GOD's plan - to rebuild the wall
GOD's people - carrying out the plan
GOD's resources

God's calling. The people were being obedient. They were doing everything right. But what happens...

The neighboring people did not like the wall being rebuilt and they began to plot against the Israelites and even ATTACK. So much that Nehemiah had to have every other person with a sword. So there was a worker and then a defender. Some workers were building with one hand and fighting with the other.

WAIT a minute, the people of God were doing exactly the right thing and they were being attacked on all sides. Everywhere they turned they encountered opposition. Sound familiar? As soon as I heard this I thought "EXACTLY, where we are."

I am right here in this season.
God has called my family to be more committed with our tithe and we are being obedient.
God has called us to serve at our church with the youth and we are trying be obedient.
God placed me in my job to be a light and an encouragement and I am trying to live it out everyday

But we are facing opposition, some days at every turn. It is exhausting and overwhelming and some days I feel like I can't do It anymore...I want to give up. But I reminded that I am called to keep working and keep fighting.

I don't know where you are in your walk and your journey. You may be rebuilding those walls, building with one hand and fighting with the other. Let me encourage you to keep building.
Keep on being obedient in the call for your life.
Keep working.
God is moving.
He is protecting.
There will be an end.

Nehemiah's story has a great end. They do get that wall rebuilt and then they spend the last 7 chapters of the Book of Nehemiah celebrating and worshiping and praising and giving thanks.

I am looking forward to those days. I am hoping and praying that the end is soon, but there is no guarantee when. But for those of us in Christ there is a celebration waiting, maybe not on this side of heaven, but the party is coming.
There will be no more opposition.
No more attack
No more hurting
No more waiting
No more longing for something more.
There will be completeness.

Workers and fighters, you are not alone. Hope is not lost. We are rebuilding the wall together. Let's keep going!