"Then I said to them, 'You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.' I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, 'Let us arise and build.' So they put their hands to the good work." Nehemiah 2:17-18
As I sit here this afternoon looking at the scaffolding going up for our chimney to be replaced, I’m reminded that though it is inconvenient, it is absolutely necessary. The same holds true for the work God has to do in our life. At times it’s pretty simple and straightforward - we love these seasons. Other times, it’s as if the Lord calls in the scaffolding crew and we know He is about to do a work from the top down. This kind of work takes time, often holds lots of tears, but always ends with a great reward - a deeper relationship with the One who truly knows us, inside and out.
First comes getting the construction zone prepared. You know this part; it’s often the hardest. You know the work has to be done but you fear how long it will take, what it might cost you, and wonder what will it really be like when the work is complete. These are the questions that hold us back, keep us stuck in the pits, and make us question if God is really going to be faithful again.
The next phase is demo. This is when the walls begin getting cut away. For us inwardly, this is the removal of the walls we’ve built up or habits we’ve put into place as a way to protect ourselves. It’s where the buried hurts, heartaches, and headaches get revealed. It’s the part of the process that brings us to the rawest form of our existence. Feeling fully exposed but fully known. Weak and bear, yet embraced and welcomed home all over again.
Then comes the rebuilding. It’s the spot in the process where the demo phase doesn’t feel far enough off where you can’t recall just how hard it was. But, the holes God is filling, the new foundation He’s laying, is starting to settle in a way where you can breathe a little deeper, a little easier, and praise Him for what He’s brought you through. It's where comfort and joy start to bubble up again, where laughter lifts your spirits in an old familiar way after what felt like you may never get to celebrate a victory with Jesus again.
Lastly comes settling in but not staying stagnant. Here, we have newfound wisdom and understanding. We know the stirrings to be aware of as we lean into Jesus rather than continuing to walk in a way or into a place that He doesn’t want for us. All of this reminds me of Nehemiah and the men who went on to join him in the rebuilding of the city gates in Jerusalem. Nehemiah was first stirred in his heart; this was the preparation. Then the demo began as he took his heart's cries to the Lord and felt led to approach the king. The rebuilding began to unfold not only physically in Jerusalem but also in Nehemiah's heart when he saw firsthand the way God prepared the heart of the king to allow him to travel back to his homeland. Finally, he got settled into the place God had called him with the men the Lord used to equip him to finish the work.
"Then I said to them, 'You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.' I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, 'Let us arise and build.' So they put their hands to the good work." Nehemiah 2:17-18
This is what God does. He's in the business of building, demoing, and rebuilding all over again. He knows the construction process is hard. We can trust that He knows how long it will take, He knows what it will cost you, and He knows what it will look like on the other side. As this all happens, we can rest in knowing Jesus is with us and the work He is doing will bring forth greater things. More wisdom. More understanding. And more of a testimony to His faithful hand.
I'd love to pray for you: Father, to the one who is reading this today, would you bless them right where they are? I pray they would see you in the midst of the building process. We know that you are always working, but sometimes it feels like you're working together good for everyone else but us. In these moments, shift our perspective. May we be reminded that you are working all things together for those who love you. Hard or easy, you are with us. Mountain top or valley, are you there. In Jesus's name, amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/justocker
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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Originally published Thursday, 21 March 2024.
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