“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins… Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem…'” – Nehemiah 2:17
Facing the Mess
Jerusalem was a disaster. The walls were knocked down, the gates were burned, and the people were living in constant fear. For years, the residents had simply walked past the piles of charred stones and broken timber, probably thinking, “This is just how it is now.” They had become used to the ruins.
Then Nehemiah arrived. He didn’t ignore the mess—he looked it right in the eye. But where everyone else saw a graveyard of “what used to be,” Nehemiah saw the foundation for “what could be.” He realized that while the city was in ashes, the people didn’t have to stay that way.
From Mourning to Moving
It is easy to spend a whole year staring at the “rubble” in our lives—the broken relationships, the failed goals, or the parts of our character that feel like they’ve fallen apart. But there is a difference between mourning your ruins and living in them.
- The Power of “Let Us”: Nehemiah didn’t try to fix it alone. He invited others into the vision. God doesn’t expect you to rebuild your life by your own sheer willpower. He offers His strength, His Spirit, and often, His people to help you lift the heavy stones.
- The “One Brick” Strategy: You don’t build a wall in a day. You build it one stone at a time. Restoration feels overwhelming when you look at the whole pile of rubble, but it feels possible when you focus on the single brick in your hand.
- Co-Building with God: God is the Master Architect, but He invites us to be the builders. He provides the blueprint and the strength, but He asks us to get our hands dirty. Restoration is a partnership.
A Simple Truth
Your past might look like a pile of ruins, but God sees it as raw material. Every “broken stone” in your life can be repurposed to build a wall of wisdom, boundaries, and strength. Don’t let the sight of the rubble talk you out of the vision for the wall. It’s time to stop describing the mess and start rebuilding the gates.
Picking Up the Brick
- Identify One “Broken Section”: What is one area of your life that feels like it’s in ruins? (Your health? A habit? Your prayer life?) Don’t try to fix everything at once. Just name that one section today.
- Find Your First Stone: What is the smallest possible step you can take toward rebuilding that area? If it’s your health, go for a 10-minute walk. If it’s a relationship, send a kind text. Pick up that “brick” and place it today.
- Stop the “Rubble Talk”: Notice how often you complain about the mess. Today, every time you’re tempted to talk about how bad the ruins are, try to say, “God is helping me rebuild this.”
Prayer
Lord, give me a vision for restoration. It’s hard to look at the broken pieces of my life and believe they can ever be whole again. But I trust that You are a God who makes all things new. Show me which brick to pick up today. Give me the strength to keep building even when I’m tired, and help me to see the wall instead of the rubble. Amen.
