Building Through the Battle: Why Opposition Is Not a Sign of Failure
If you’ve ever tried to rebuild something in your life — your faith, your marriage, your spiritual habits — you’ve likely discovered a hard truth: opposition shows up quickly. Nehemiah 4 reminds us that resistance is not accidental, nor is it proof that something has gone wrong. Often, it is evidence that something is finally going right.
As the people of Jerusalem rebuilt the wall, they were met with ridicule and mockery. Sanballat and Tobiah attacked their identity (“feeble Jews”), their faith (“will they offer sacrifices?”), and their future (“even a fox would break it down”). This wasn’t casual trash talk — it was strategic discouragement. The enemy’s aim was to stop God’s work before it could be completed.
The same dynamic exists today. When a believer grows serious about holiness, when a family prioritises faith, when a church steps forward in mission, resistance often intensifies. Scripture consistently shows that God’s work attracts opposition — not because it is weak, but because it is effective.
Nehemiah’s response is instructive. He does not retaliate, panic, or retreat. Instead, he prays. “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised” (Neh 4:4). He entrusts the opposition to the Lord and keeps building.
The lesson is simple but profound: opposition is not your cue to quit; it is your call to pray and persevere. If you are facing resistance right now, ask yourself — not “What am I doing wrong?” but “What might God be rebuilding?”