Troubles and problems cause some to cave in and run while others find a way to dig in with more fire and determination. It always seems easier to run than to stay and fight.
Most pastors stay at the church only three and half years and most youth pastors only stay nine months nationwide. What is it that affects our tenure at a place? I'm convinced that many move on because they think the grass is greener in another location. Maybe the next place won't have any real big problems or real bears? Friend there is no such place on this side of heaven.
What about your mandate? What about the assignment that the Lord has given you? What about making a mark in a place that needs a breakthrough, a real move of God? Can one see that done in a few years, or will it take a decade or even more time?
Nehemiah was under heavy fire from Sanballat and Tobiah. They even hired a prophet to tell him it would be better for him to pick up and run. I have learned that even when the fire is being turned up, "It's better to wrestle with your struggle than to wrestle with the regret that you quit." Friend let's not forget that God's hand is controlling the thermostat. He knows right where you are and what's really going on.
Too many times ministers don't stick around to enjoy the harvest that would come if they would just dig in and trust God to see them through their nightmare experience in ministry.
Sanballat's are still around today. They will intimidate and manipulate and aggravate you from what God has called you to do. Nehemiah states to this evil man, "You have made me more determined to continue this work until it is done."
Leaders need to remember the picture of the turtle sitting on a fence post? He didn't get there by himself. If we're not careful, we will forget that we didn't get where we are by ourselves. God is the one who opens the door and gives us the power to go the distance, the provision to keep the work going, the passport was written out in heaven for our place, and the protection to stay in place.
Nehemiah must have remembered the miracle that got him to the walls in the first place. God gave him a passport to get through some 1000 miles back to Jerusalem. God gave him the provision of timber from the king to build the walls. He gave him the protection to make the journey, and God gave him the power to get where he was. We forget to easy all that God did to get us where we are today. We had better expect a fight when we get on the job.
Dig in today, don't lose confidence in the one who has you in the place He has called you. As I look back through the pages of history, Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, none of them had it easy. They all experience a bumping rocky road experience in fulfilling the assignment.
Why should we expect anything less in our service to our God? The apostle Paul said, "I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God.
Paul was determined to not only stay in the fight but to keep the faith and to finish the course that was set before him. Jesus is our greatest example of all. He could have easily bailed out when all of hell's pressures came at him, but He said, "It is finished."
What if Christ had of never said those words? What if he had of called 10,000 angels to come to his rescue? Thank God he didn't . He finished the assignment that his heavenly father gave him.
Be determined to finish your wall, your mandate, and your assignment. Somebody is watching you. Somebody is counting on you. Somebody is depending on you to finish what you started.
Dig in, fight the good fight of faith, and watch the Lord stand up for you like he did Stephen. As he was saying, " forgive them for they know not what they do," The Lord was not sitting but standing at the right hand of God, cheering him on.
Are you more determined today? Have you made up your mind to go the distance? God has a grace for the test, the ordeal, and the quagmire that you're working through today. Hey, this case your dealing with now isn't to hard for your God.
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