Rebuilding with Nehemiah - - Pushing through the Fear.

“I was very much afraid, but I said to the king…” Nehemiah had already approached the King of heaven with his passion for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and restoring God’s reputation in the eyes of the surrounding countries. However, he still found himself apprehensive in approaching a mere man. Fear of man stops us in our tracks in many circumstances but especially when it is a person of position and power. Have we totally forgotten our fear of God and what He thinks?

Being afraid is a normal human response, even when we’ve been before the King of Kings and received His approval. Fear can paralyze us but it doesn’t have to. Nehemiah pushed through his fear and spoke to the King anyway. He faced his fear. What might be causing you to be paralyzed by fear? What is keeping you from getting the help you need in rebuilding the ruins of your life?

It might be that you are afraid the person will refuse or ridicule you, or remind you of your past failures. There’s nothing like having your face rubbed in the muck and mire of past failure. The snapshots of our failures loom dark and current in the recesses of our memories, haunting and tormenting us, entangling us in doubt, regret and crippling fear. Who shall deliver us from their trap?

If we’ve asked forgiveness then “there is therefore now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” March boldly into the throne room of grace to receive mercy over your past failures, grace to move on and power to conquer fear and try again.

We really are our own worst enemy at times. Our long, sharp memories keep us cowering in defeat. The Olympics are this week and I’ve heard it said more than once, “this is where a short memory serves one well.” Having a short memory for past failures or defeats helps us to gather our courage to give it our best one more time.

God removes our sins from us as far as the East is from the West – never to be remembered again. His memory is very short. May you receive the gift of a short memory so you can get up and face your fears and start requesting the help you need to begin the rebuilding process in your life.