I remember a job that required me to lead a person who was a really tough cookie. He tried his best to get me to quit. After that, he tried to get me fired.
Here I was trying to figure out how to help him, and he was trying his best to frustrate me and to wear me down and to get me to quit.
Have you ever experience anything like that?
I have actually been in that same type of situation more than once. I saw the same thing each time. Folks were not doing like they ought. Maybe they thought if they could get me to quit, I would not find out what they were doing.
If you are the type of person that is always doing the right thing – or trying to, you are going to meet some folks along the way that will want to get rid of you.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
Nehemiah 4:10-15
A lot of times folks just don’t want you to accomplish what you are working to achieve. Like the adversaries of Judah, they want to get you to quit by being discouraging.
When you quit, you have defeated yourself. You’ve let them win. When you walk with the Lord, there will be someone from time to time that will try to discourage you. They do not want you to achieve anything for God. They’d rather believe what they are doing is right.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:12-15
Today’s challenge is to remember that you will have discouraging folks around you from time to time. It’s a given. Plan on it. Then plan to keep on doing what God has for you to do.