Burden to Obedience: Joining God in Rebuilding Lives

Here's what'll happen. A question will begin to surface maybe even this morning, maybe even right now. And the question is this, god, what problem in the world would would you like to use me to help address? This is a good question to ask because people who follow Jesus actually intentionally, very intentionally embrace problems. This is what Christians do. And there this is where a sense of calling begins. [00:54:01] (29 seconds)

Because what'll happen is you'll notice that something is broken, and you will feel moved. The work of the holy spirit. And what God is doing is this. God is revealing what needs to be rebuilt, and he does this by burning your heart. That's what God is doing when you feel that move in your heart. He's revealing what needs to be rebuilt, and he's doing it by putting a burden in your heart. That burden, it's not an audition. Okay? This is not god looking for people to prove their worth to him. No. He he is forming in you a response that that fits what he's already done, what he's already doing. [00:54:30] (43 seconds)

We're in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. And Nehemiah is written because one man could not ignore what broke his heart. Before chapter one, you know, think about this. Nehemiah, his life was going well. He had a stable job. He had security. You know, he had influence. And then what happened? God moved in his heart. He heard about Jerusalem, and everything changed. And God showed Nehemiah a problem. And here's what happened. The broken condition of God's people, the dishonor that was was given to God's name, that became Nehemiah's burden. [00:55:13] (47 seconds)

and one of the things that you do not do in the royal court is this. You don't bring your private problems on duty with you. You you don't go in there and show sad because, look, sadness, that could be interpreted as disloyalty. That could be interpreted as even conspiracy, and that could cost someone their life. But Nehemiah's grief could no longer be hidden. What God had done in his heart became visible on his face. You see? [00:58:05] (33 seconds)

You know, a a true burden cannot remain private. The kind of burden that we're praying that God will give us, that doesn't stay to you. True burdens don't stay private. No. They don't. You you you can manage appearances for a while. But what God puts in your heart will eventually show up in your life. In fact, ask the people closest to you. They already know what weighs on your heart. They know what it is. [01:00:05] (31 seconds)

And so the question is not whether you have a burden. You have a problem. You put your hands up. It it's what your your problems reveal. Your burdens reveal about your heart. Nehemiah's heart was oriented towards God's people, towards God's glory. You know, the the reality is this. On, you know, on the other hand, we face a very human issue. We often worry about what is temporal, and we don't worry much about what is eternal. [01:00:35] (34 seconds)

But here's what happens. Over time, god will deepen. He will align that concern with his purposes. And god does not ask every person to carry every burden. That's unrealistic. But here's what he does. He does invite each of us to pay attention to what he is repeatedly bringing before your eyes. What is it? What is it god's showing you? [01:02:04] (26 seconds)

You know, we we we think about fear, of course, and and we see it meaning that something's gone wrong. But here, fear means something actually has become clear. Do you see the difference? And Nehemiah knows that following god is gonna cost him something even though the outcome's still unknown. And fear will often appear in its exact place in your life when obedience becomes clear. [01:03:07] (29 seconds)