Discernment – Staying on the Wall (365/22)
- Preethi Alice Jacob
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
When God calls us to build, opposition often arrives disguised as urgency. Not every invitation deserves our attention, and not every voice that sounds reasonable carries God’s purpose. Discernment keeps us from confusing distraction with direction.
“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3, NKJV).
After arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah did not rush ahead. He quietly surveyed the damage to understand what truly needed rebuilding (Nehemiah 2:13, NKJV). When the work began, opposition followed. Sanballat and his companions invited him to meet, sounding cooperative. Four times they pressed him. Four times Nehemiah stayed focused. Discernment helped him see the difference between genuine opportunity and dangerous distraction.
Crowds demanded from Jesus, critics challenged Him, but He remained unswayed by pressure, fear, or popularity. Instead “He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16, NKJV) and acted by the Father’s will. When voices mocked Him to “come down” at the cross, Jesus stayed on His mission, securing our salvation.
In our lives, distractions come through noise, expectations, conflicts, and even good things that quietly steal focus from God’s best. Discernment asks: Is this drawing me closer to Christ, or pulling me away from Him?
Pause and Ponder
What can I learn from Nehemiah’s life about guarding God’s work in my life?
Where do I most feel pressured to “come down” from what God has assigned me?
Whom can I encourage to "stay on the wall” this week?
Discernment begins in quiet dependence, not public reaction. Staying unshaken means discerning when not to leave the wall God has placed us on.
Lord Jesus, help me see clearly, resist distraction, and stay faithful to what You have entrusted to me. Amen.
Comments