Overcoming Problems: Compassion - Attitude

Focus passage: Nehemiah 1

With God, attitude is everything. 

I think of the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18. One man came before the Lord boasting about his stature before God, the other man came with head bowed to humbly seek his Lord. I have watched people in trouble shake their fist and pray to the Lord as if He owed them answers. I have seen people come meekly before the Lord knowing that they don’t deserve His help, but that this loving God will come to their aid. Nehemiah is a man who has stood near the glory of God. He comes humbly to God, but also is confident that God’s character and promises will drive the Lord to help His people. He shows the right attitude for overcoming problems.

• He doesn’t point fingers v. 6. Living comfortably in the palace, it would have been easy to complain about the people out on the western front of Judea. Surely they have done something wrong and angered God. Yet, Nehemiah includes himself as he says “We have acted very wickedly toward you.” My temptation when I hear of problems in the inner city or hear of a marriage disintegrating is to ask what they have done. I am part of that culture. I can’t point fingers at others either.

• He is bold to claim the promises v. 9. He asks only what he knows God is eager to give. He admits that their sin has brought the destruction that God promised, but he calls for the blessings that repentance will bring. He knows God’s word and God’s heart. A friend once told me that he prays the promises of God listed in the Bible. His desire is to pray things that He knows God wants rather than pray for things that he might want God to do.

• He is willing to be part of the solution v. 11. While God can use miracles or send His holy angels to do His work, scripture shows that He normally uses ordinary men and women of faith. Nehemiah humbles himself and offers his hands and feet as tools for the Lord. He doesn’t expect God to work while he sits back and watches, but is willing to be the means that God uses to overcome the problems that the Jews are facing.

Attitude is everything. Nehemiah is not just compassionate, but approaches God with humility and boldness. Sometimes we care about a person or a problem, but our attitude to the Lord is so bad that we get in the way of God’s help. We demand that God grant our wishes or work a miracle in a way that makes things easy for us. Nehemiah’s example shows the power of surrendering ourselves to God’s will. Like Isaiah, we surrender ourselves to God’s will. “Here am I. Send me.” (Isaiah 6)