Rough Waters

Leadership isn’t easy – it’s wrought with opposition, obstacles and challenges. God calls and equips, but he never said it would be smooth sailing. He only promises to be with us to navigate the rough waters.

In Nehemiah’s case opposition rose immediately - Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem ridiculed them trying to weaken their resolve and lower their morale. Nehemiah stood his ground. He defended his people trusting God would give them success. Not only did Nehemiah stand up to the three men, but I think his confession reinforced his own faith in God. Affirming words are powerful.

As the walls rose higher, the opposition did as well. Growing in numbers, the men publically ridiculed the Jews and plotted against them. But Nehemiah didn’t let the opposition weaken his faith or distract him from the work God called him to. He fought back through his earnest prayers to God. His people prayed as well, which means he must have communicated the need and the importance of prayer. Prayer is a powerful weapon and Nehemiah modeled this as a leader.

Nehemiah prayed, but he also took decisive action. He posted guards day and night. The workers each had weapons. And because they were widely separated along the wall, he posted a trumpeter to call at any sign of trouble. Nehemiah also encouraged his people telling them not to be afraid and reminding them to trust in the Lord. And Nehemiah was there for his people – he too never removed his clothes or his weapon. He was on guard 24/7.

Did Nehemiah doubt God’s protection by posting guards and carrying weapons? Did he waver in his faith by taking action? No. He did the job that God called him to do, praying and seeking God’s will each step of the way. As leaders we’re called to have faith, but also to take action – the 2 go together. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to do when, but I believe that as long as we’re sincerely seeking God first, he’s not going to let us make the wrong move.

It’s interesting how banding together to fight opposition can make a team stronger. We experienced that when we had a period of repeated break-ins on our previous property. We united, prayed, began night patrols, and did a prayer walk across the entire base. It was powerful to stand together in faith like that, and the prayers worked to drive our enemies away. But the results weren’t immediate. We had to keep our faith, strengthen our patience, and remain persistent in pressing in to God. Like a car brake that stays engaged when our foot applies pressure, our faith stays engaged when our patience and persistence apply pressure.

In Nehemiah’s case, the people were growing weary of the work and the constant, increasing threat of attack. But as they banded together to fight back, they were reunited and reenergized to finish what God called them to do. The Lord can use everything for good. I know this from experience.