When it comes to acting on the divine burdens God has given us, perhaps the most significant obstacle is not the difficulty of the task at hand or the opposition against us. One of the greatest obstacles in front of us is so subtle and cunning that we may not even realize what a threat it is against us, and that obstacle is a mindset of complacency. That is why, when Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls, he called out its leaders for their complacency and urged them to step out of their complacency and take on the divine burden to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah called Jerusalem’s leaders to stop living complacently in Nehemiah 2. In this passage of Scripture, he had come to Jerusalem from Persia to head up the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, which were in ruins. After examining the devastation, Nehemiah spoke to the leaders of Jerusalem and said, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire” (verse 17). In other words, Nehemiah was saying, “Wake up! Don’t you see the destruction all around you?” They had been living their lives complacently numb to the destruction and rubble around them. Nehemiah’s words to the leaders of Jerusalem were a wake-up call to stop ignoring the plight of Jerusalem's walls and do something about it.
It is easy for us to judge the leaders in Jerusalem. After all, how could they go on with their everyday lives, surrounded by rubble and unsafe due to the lack of walls to protect Jerusalem? The truth is, however, we have all had moments when we lived complacently. We have had times when we saw the difficulties and troubles around us, and we chose to ignore them, going on with our lives as usual until we became numb. We might even be living complacently now. Maybe today God has given you a divine burden, but you have felt so overwhelmed and distracted by your everyday lives that you have been complacent. I urge you, my friend, to let go of complacently today and take action to do something about the divine burden God has given you today.
Take a moment to look at your life. When it comes to your divine burden, how have you been complacent and numb to the difficulties around you? Confess your complacency to God now. Admit how you have been complacent when it comes to the divine burden He has placed on your heart and ask Him to help you let go of complacency and take action.
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, 12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. 13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. 14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble. 15 So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.
16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. 17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
