Bible Study for Ministry, Christian Women, and The Pastor's Wife - I am Afraid, 2

Bible Study for Ministry, Christian Women, and The Pastor's Wife - I am Afraid, 2
     Saying "I am not afraid" to convince yourself that you really are not afraid simply does not work. It does conjure up pictures of The Lion in "The Wizard of Oz." Remember? The lion was always afraid. The more he tried to convince himself by saying "I'm not afraid," the more he twisted his tail in his paws and the more his afraid factor escalated.
     Nehemiah had a different method. Oh, he acknowledged his fear. He did not try to hide it, ignore it, nor sweep it under the rug. (Ever notice when you try to sweep something under the rug, there seems to be a lump, maybe even a very large lump, under the rug?)
     Look at Nehemiah's situation. He was assigned by God to rebuild the walls. His enemies tried repeatedly to hinder his work and make him and all his workers afraid. They want not to harm them, but they also wanted to stop the work.
        Nehemiah acknowledges the fear. Then, he immediately turns to God and prays. He does not pray for the enemies to go away. He does not pray for a different task to accomplish. He does not ask God to take away his fear.
     What does he ask God to do? Nehemiah 6:9 gives us his request from God. "For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."
     What happened? His hands were strengthened for the task. The enemies were still around and the task was still big. In the same chapter, verse 15, we find some very important news: "So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days." Nehemiah finished his assigned task.
My prayer :"Oh Lord, My God, that I never run in fear from what You have assigned me to do, but Lord that you would give me the strength to do it. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Be blessed in The Name above every name, Jesus! I know I am!
Linda L Culbreth