Implementing A Vision Amid Discouragement
The Reverend Bryn MacPhail / October
29, 2006
Following
a two-week respite, we return our attention this morning to our study of
Nehemiah. Nehemiah—the man and the book—has been the supplier of many helpful
principles in our consideration of the theme: “Vision For Life”.
Affirming
the biblical statement, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov.
29:18), I have identified “The Great Commission” of our Resurrected Lord as an
appropriate vision for St. Giles Kingsway to pursue. In order to make this
vision memorable, you may recall my paraphrase for The Great Commission: Bring
In Others. Teach Jesus.
What
has Nehemiah taught us thus far, to help us in this pursuit? Nehemiah has
demonstrated that from the conception of a vision onward, the pursuit of a
vision requires us to be diligent in prayer.
Secondly,
Nehemiah has been a refreshing example of how we are to engage our minds in
pursuing a vision. In other words, diligence in prayer is not at the expense of
good planning.
Along
a similar vein, we noted that when Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem he did not
immediately begin to rebuild, but rather, he spent much time probing the
work site in order to determine the best reconstruction strategy.
Following
much prayer, planning and probing, it was time for
Nehemiah to present his plan to the people gathered in the city.
The
response of the people, you may remember, was exactly what any leader would
hope for, “Let’s start building now!” they exclaimed (2:19). Nehemiah
goes on to record that “they got everything ready” and proceeded to
rebuild the wall.
Smooth
sailing from there, right? Not at all. Many were opposed to Nehemiah and his
plan of reconstruction. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the
people from the city of Ashdod are among those named to be causing Nehemiah no
end of grief (4:7).
Though
the project was well under way at this point, its continuation was in real
jeopardy. In addition to diligence in prayer, good planning,
extensive probing, and a compelling presentation, we see in
Nehemiah the reason why every leader of a vision must possess skill in problem-solving.
Visions,
as pictures of what could be and what should be, naturally involve changes to
the status quo. Needless to say, change is difficult for many people. There are
many matters where I sense my own resistance to change. Don’t ask me to change
the kind of toothpaste I use, or the kind of coffee I drink. Don’t imagine me
wearing a suit that is not brown or black. And please—please don’t ever expect
me to cheer against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
These
references are quite silly, I realize, but they are reminders to me of how
difficult even small changes can be for some people. Visions, as ‘not yet
realities’, involve a certain amount of change. And while Bringing In Others
and Teaching Jesus is hardly a radical departure from our current
course, I reckon that intensifying this pursuit will require amendments to how
we do ministry. Certain projects will need to be placed on the periphery. Other
projects will need to gain a greater portion of our attention and resources.
Consequently,
such changes may breed opposition. And yet, if our vision is God-honouring, we
must develop a godly stubbornness to pursuing our vision in the face of
opposition. We must develop skill in problem-solving.
The
problems mount for Nehemiah as we continue our way through chapter 4. The
opponents of reconstruction were unsuccessful in halting the work, but some
damage has been done. The walls were not about to crumble, but the morale of
the builders was on the brink. The most prominent enemy was now the powerful
foe named discouragement.
Anyone
who has ever attempted to build, repair, organize, or operate something knows
the debilitating power of discouragement. If we cannot overcome discouragement,
we will struggle to move forward. Choose whatever imagery you wish—it’s like
paddling a boat against a strong current; it’s like trying to run while
knee-deep in mud. If we cannot overcome discouragement we will not see our visions
realized.
I
wish I could say that I never get discouraged. I wish I could say that nothing
frazzles me, or causes my spirit to sink. Indeed, I am well acquainted with the
feeling of being pushed to the brink. But thankfully, the testimony of Scripture
confirms that it is when we are near total despair, God breaks in. Yea, when we
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me, Thy rod and
Thy staff, they comfort me.
We
need not remain discouraged. Despair need not be our master. We would do well
then to examine some of the causes of discouragement and to consider
some of the remedies available to the child of God.
‘The word on the
street’ is recorded for us in verse 10, “the people of Judah were singing a
sorrowful song:
‘So much rubble for
us to haul!
Worn out and weary,
Will we ever finish
the wall?’”
The
first cause of discouragement is when we focus on what is lacking rather than
on what has been accomplished.
Frankly, I am a bit
surprised by the first line, ‘So much rubble for us to haul’—what’s this
about? The rubble has been there for over 100 years and they are talking as if
they are surprised to see such a mess! And what about all of the progress they
have made? The people have gone from having no wall to having a wall that is
halfway built.
There can be no doubt
that the amount of rubble was diminishing, but rather than celebrate what had
been accomplished, the people were beginning to focus on what was still
lacking.
If
there was a time when the workers had ‘the glass is half full’ optimism, it had
now given way to ‘the glass is half empty’ pessimism. The rubble that once
inspired their work had now become the thing that inspired their complaints.
It
seems to me that this shift of attitude holds particular relevance for the
local church and her members. Undoubtedly, there was a time when, after coming
to Christ, you joined a congregation with your sleeves rolled up and
immediately you put your hands to the work. You found a place where you could
contribute. You engaged in one or more of the aspects involved in pursuing a
vision.
And
then something happened. Our experiences might differ a bit, person to person.
Some of you were criticized. Some of you were under appreciated. Some of you
lacked support. Some of you were being openly undermined. Progress began to
slow and the rubble that once inspired you now intimidated you.
Instead
of celebrating what you had accomplished, you began to be distracted by what
was lacking. As a result, you became discouraged—and very likely those around
you caught the spirit of discouragement.
The
second cause of discouragement is when our strength fails. It was said of
the workers that they had become “worn out and weary”. We don’t like
being discouraged. Most of us don’t mean to be pessimists, it’s just that when
we’re exhausted—when our strength fails us—the natural drift is towards
discouragement.
Many
folks, aware of their discouraged state and unsure of the best remedy for their
failed strength, simply give up the work. It is natural—it is normal—to want to
quit when our strength fails and when our zeal for the task is diminished.
Nehemiah had to address this natural drift and, as we will later see, there is
a better way than quitting.
The
third cause of discouragement is when our confidence fails. The lament
being sounded was, “Will we ever finish the wall?” Again, this is a
shift from a former way of thinking. Surely, the work would have never begun
unless the people believed that the wall could be rebuilt. Having set out on
what they once thought was an obtainable vision, they now found themselves
doubting whether the job could get done.
Moreover, the builders
were mindful of the mounting opposition—the workers were acutely aware that
there were people who wanted not only to hinder their work, but who actually
wanted to inflict harm on them. With a growing number of factors working
against them, the builders lost their confidence.
A
focus on what is lacking, failed strength, and a loss of confidence—add those components
together and you have profound discouragement. Multiply that
discouragement by the number of people affected and you have the ingredients
necessary for grinding an important project to a screeching halt.
I
reckon that Bringing In Others and Teaching Jesus is the most
important thing we can do as a community of faith. And because we are not
immune to the causes of discouragement, we ought to arm ourselves with
appropriate remedies.
Against
the first cause of discouragement—focusing on what is lacking instead of
celebrating what has been accomplished appears to have an obvious remedy. Shift
our focus to the positive—celebrate what has been accomplished. Indeed, this is
a prudent response, and yet more is required.
It is vital that we celebrate
the reason for our progress. Progress in God-ordained visions are
powered by God. If we find ourselves at the halfway point, we need to pause and
consider how we got here.
When we do this, we’ll
likely find ourselves echoing the words of John Newton, ‘Tis grace has brought
me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.’
Like David the shepherd
boy, we need not consider the stature of the giant before us; we need only to
consider the power of the God who is behind us.
The workers in Nehemiah’s day were looking at the
rubbish when they should have been looking at the Lord. ‘Never mind your
enemies!’ Nehemiah tells them, ‘the Lord is great and awesome’—look at Him.
The second remedy for
discouragement is related to the first. Just as turning our attention to God
enables us to celebrate and anticipate progress, so too does turning to God
address the issue of failing strength and confidence.
The ceiling of what we
can be done without Divine assistance is significantly lower than what we can
accomplish with God’s help. As the prophet Isaiah explains, “(God) gives
strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Even the
young grow weary and tired and vigourous young men stumble badly, but those who
wait upon the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like
eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not faint”
(Isa. 40:29-31).
If you are like me, you
are confronted daily with things that you doubt you have the strength for.
However, if God has called you to something, He will power your efforts. The
Puritan Christopher Love says it well, “As God commands His children to obey
Him, so He conveys power and ability to enable them to do what He commands.”
Our text reveals the
same. The builders are exhausted, pessimistic, and fearful. Some have quit on
the work, while others are on the edge of despair. Discouragement is carrying
the day—but Nehemiah won’t give in. And Nehemiah refuses to let the people give
in. The vision is too important; the project, too sacred. Accordingly, Nehemiah
points the people to the Lord. And then we read in verse 15 that they “went
back to work on the wall”.
The work of Bringing
In Others and Teaching Jesus is a sacred work. It is too important
to drop. If you are exhausted, if you are doubtful, if you are afraid—a
sufficient remedy is within your reach. The Lord is great and awesome and He
will help you.
Indeed, the Lord is
great and awesome and He will help us to succeed to the glory of His name.
Amen.