our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Aug 28, 2018, 1:31:10 PM8/28/18

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Overcoming Challenges

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 6:15

We gathered monthly to hold one another accountable to our individual goals. My friend Mary wanted to reupholster the seats of her dining room chairs before the year’s end. At our November meeting she wittily reported her progress from October: “It took ten months and two hours to recover my chairs.” After months of not being able to obtain the materials required, or find the quiet hours away from her demanding job and her toddler’s needs, the project took merely two hours of committed work to finish.

The Lord called Nehemiah to a far greater project: to bring restoration to Jerusalem after its walls had lain in ruin for 150 years (Nehemiah 2:3–5, 12). As he led the people in the labor, they experienced mockery, attacks, distraction, and temptation to sin (4:3, 8; 6:10–12). Yet God equipped them to stand firm—resolute in their efforts—completing a daunting task in just fifty-two days.

Overcoming such challenges requires much more than a personal desire or goal; Nehemiah was driven by an understanding that God appointed him to the task. His sense of purpose invigorated the people to follow his leadership despite incredible opposition. When God charges us with a task—whether to repair a relationship or share what He’s done in our lives—He gives us whatever skills and strength are necessary to continue in our effort to do what He’s asked, no matter what challenges come our way.

Lord, please equip me with Your strength to persevere and finish the tasks You’ve given me. May my labors bring You glory.

God equips us to overcome obstacles and complete the tasks He’s given us to do.

胜过挑战

以禄月二十五日，城墙修完了，共修了五十二天。-尼希米记6章15节

我和一些朋友每个月都会相聚，彼此提醒要努力达成自己的目标。我朋友玛莉在年初时，便希望在年底前能更换饭厅座椅的椅垫。在11月的聚会中，她风趣地描述了事情的进展，说：“我花了10个月又2个小时才把椅垫弄好。”由于找不到所需的材料，再加上繁重的工作和照顾家中的幼儿，她总是抽不出时间更换椅垫。直到最后她下定决心，结果只用2小时就更换了所有的椅垫。

上帝呼召尼希米去完成一项更重要的任务，即重建耶路撒冷那毁坏了150年的城墙（尼希米记2章3-5、12节）。当尼希米带领百姓修建城墙时，他们历尽嘲讽、攻击和搅扰，以及罪的引诱（4章3、8节，6章10-12节）。但上帝使他们毫不动摇，下定决心专心修筑城墙，只用了52天便完成这项艰巨的任务。

要胜过这样的挑战，不能单靠个人追求实现目标的意志。尼希米能够完成这项艰巨的任务，是因为他知道是上帝拣选他去完成这个任务。他的使命感激励百姓愿意排除万难来跟从他。当上帝差派我们去完成一项任务时，无论是修复关系，或是与人分享祂在我们生命中所做的一切，不论在过程中会遇到任何挑战，祂必会赐给我们所需的才能和力量，让我们可以继续努力去完成祂所托付的任务。

主啊，求祢加给我力量，让我能坚持不懈地完成
祢所托付的任务，愿我手所作的能使祢得着荣耀。