Private Conviction Before Public Plans
Nehemiah 2:16; Luke 2:19
Have you ever heard of a problem and had an idea for resolving it? An idea you thought was the right thing to do, because you had sought the Lord and done everything you knew to do to get to that solution? It’s a great feeling. It’s like you have the key to a puzzle. You might feel compelled to shout it from the rooftops! You might even want to tell your best friend, or a group you’re part of—maybe even the ones who will be helping you fix the issue. After all, if you’ve prayed about it, it must be good, right? Especially when you know your heart has been right with the Lord—you’ve wept, fasted, prayed, confessed, and asked Him for help.
You are ready to fire!
But our verse in Nehemiah shows us something different. It shows us Nehemiah does just the opposite. He told no one, and he took no one with him when he went to conduct his inspection. For most of us, that raises the question: why?
I think his restraint is incredible. I think this restraint shows power—but not his own. His desire to keep things quiet may have been to help display the power of the Lord instead. He was able to refrain from telling people his innermost thoughts, which demonstrates strength—and that strength came from the Holy Spirit within him. So that when he did reveal what God had put in his heart, it was the power of the Lord within him that moved the people.
Question to Consider
What do you need to hold closely and ponder within yourself before you reveal it to others?
Prayer Prompt
Join me in asking the Lord daily to help us ponder the thoughts and plans He places in our hearts and minds, so that we reveal His strength rather than our own. Ask Him to help us follow Nehemiah’s example as we move together as a church. Seek His help with this, even though it feels unnatural—it’s something we truly need His help with. Ask Him to guide us so that when it is time to move, we have His power within us, and that power becomes a testimony to the world around us.
