Nehemiah 2:1-2, "In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.' I was very afraid."

Think

The Israelites living in exile returned home and were disgraced because the Jerusalem wall had been torn down. When Nehemiah heard this, he fell to his knees, wept, mourned, and fasted for days. Fast forward four months, and there's Nehemiah standing before the king asking for all of the needed supplies and permission letters to go and lead the effort to rebuild the wall. Think about that! Nehemiah carried the burden of this news and prayed for four months. God knew all along He would use Nehemiah in a great way, but, first, God did something great in Nehemiah! Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king. This means he spent a great deal of time in the king's presence within those four months. Although Nehemiah was distressed, he wasn't distracted from his duty. He was where God wanted him to be despite his heavy heart. Maybe you are a parent or a spouse, and your home life is completely turned upside down. Perhaps you're a single adult who's never felt lonelier since this pandemic began. Maybe you're weary with questions and worried about finances. Take heart, pray, and, most importantly, KEEP GOING. This season has an ending. We may not know when, but we know the One who does - our Savior! Let God perform His purpose during this season of your life.

Act

Share what you are going through with God. Then, after you have transparently and completely drained your heart of all cares and news, ask the Lord to send you a timely, powerful, and personal special news update. Listen for His voice through His Word, and the news that HE will send will surely lift you up!

Pray

Father, Thank You for the great things You are preparing me for during this season. I surrender to what You are doing in my home, my family, my work, and my personal life. I trust the promises of Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.