Staying Focused: Embracing Your Great Work

 

Summary

In our journey through life, distractions are inevitable. They often divert our attention from what truly matters, leading us to question how we ended up on a path we never intended to take. This reflection is not just about the minor distractions but about those significant diversions that can alter the course of our lives. It's crucial to identify what requires our undivided attention in this season of life. Whether it's breaking a habit, finishing a project, restoring a relationship, or completing a degree, there's often one thing that, if focused on, can impact everything else.

The story of Nehemiah offers profound insights into maintaining focus amidst distractions. Nehemiah, a Jewish exile serving as a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, was moved by the plight of his people in Jerusalem. Despite the city's walls being in ruins and the people in distress, Nehemiah felt a divine calling to rebuild the walls. His journey was fraught with opposition, yet he remained steadfast, famously declaring, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down." This statement became a guiding principle, reminding us to prioritize what is most important over what is merely urgent.

Nehemiah's story teaches us the importance of pre-deciding our priorities. By doing so, we can resist the temptation to be swayed by less important matters. It's about understanding that while many things are good, not all are wise for the current season of our lives. We must be willing to say "no for now, but not forever" to certain opportunities, ensuring that our focus remains on what truly matters.

As we navigate our own lives, we must ask ourselves: What is our wall? What is the task or relationship that we must not abandon until it is complete? Identifying and committing to this "great work" is essential. It requires eliminating distractions, whether they be activities, habits, or even relationships that hinder our progress. By staying focused, we not only write a story we want to tell but also one that will be told about us.

Key Takeaways:

- The Power of Focus: Distractions often divert us from what truly matters. Identifying and committing to what requires our undivided attention can significantly impact our lives. Like Nehemiah, we must declare, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down," to stay focused on our priorities. [16:31]

- Pre-Decide Your Priorities: By pre-deciding what's most important, we can resist the temptation to be swayed by less important matters. This involves creating a "no for now, but not forever" list, ensuring that our focus remains on what truly matters in this season of life. [21:31]

- Eliminate Distractions: To stay focused on our "great work," we must identify and eliminate distractions, whether they be activities, habits, or relationships that hinder our progress. This requires making difficult decisions but is essential for achieving our goals. [30:42]

- The Importance of Saying No: Not all opportunities are wise for the current season of our lives. We must be willing to say "no" to certain things to prioritize what is most important. This ensures that we stay on track and do not get sidetracked by less important matters. [22:31]

- Write Your Story: Every decision we make contributes to the story of our lives. By prioritizing correctly and staying focused, we write a story we want to tell and one that will be told about us. This requires dedication and a commitment to our "great work." [24:52]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - The Challenge of Distraction
- [00:36] - Importance of Focus
- [01:21] - Identifying Your Priority
- [02:29] - The Old Testament Inspiration
- [03:28] - Nehemiah's Context
- [05:16] - The State of Jerusalem
- [06:09] - Nehemiah's Heartbreak
- [08:03] - Nehemiah's Bold Request
- [10:01] - Casting a Vision
- [11:22] - Opposition and Threats
- [12:46] - Nehemiah's Resolute Response
- [16:31] - The Great Work Declaration
- [21:31] - No for Now, But Not Forever
- [24:52] - Writing Your Story

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Nehemiah 6:1-3
- Nehemiah 6:15-16

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Observation Questions:

1. What was Nehemiah's role in Persia, and how did it position him to help his people in Jerusalem? [03:28]

2. How did Nehemiah respond to the threats and distractions from Sanballat and others? What was his famous declaration? [16:31]

3. What were the conditions in Jerusalem that moved Nehemiah to take action, and how did he initially react to the news? [06:22]

4. How did Nehemiah organize the rebuilding of the wall, and what strategy did he use to keep the people motivated and safe? [10:11]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Nehemiah's declaration, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down," reflects his commitment to his mission. How does this statement illustrate the importance of focus in achieving one's goals? [16:31]

2. The sermon suggests creating a "no for now, but not forever" list. How does this concept help in maintaining focus on what is most important in a given season of life? [21:31]

3. Nehemiah faced significant opposition while rebuilding the wall. What does his story teach about handling criticism and distractions in pursuit of a God-given task? [25:58]

4. The completion of the wall in 52 days was seen as a work accomplished with God's help. How does this outcome demonstrate the relationship between human effort and divine assistance? [26:52]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current season of life. What is your "great work" that requires your undivided attention, and how can you ensure you stay focused on it? [16:48]

2. Identify a distraction in your life that often diverts your attention from what truly matters. What steps can you take this week to minimize or eliminate this distraction? [29:17]

3. Consider creating a "no for now, but not forever" list. What activities or commitments might you need to temporarily set aside to focus on your priorities? [21:31]

4. Nehemiah's story emphasizes the importance of pre-deciding priorities. How can you apply this principle to make better decisions about your time and resources? [19:52]

5. Think about a relationship that may need restoration or retirement. What practical steps can you take to address this relationship in a way that aligns with your priorities? [01:46]

6. Nehemiah faced rumors and criticism but remained focused. How do you handle criticism in your life, and what strategies can you adopt to stay centered on your goals? [25:58]

7. Every decision contributes to the story of your life. What is one decision you can make this week that aligns with the story you want to tell about your life? [25:03]

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Focus
In our fast-paced world, distractions are a constant presence, often pulling us away from what truly matters. The story of Nehemiah serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of focus. Nehemiah was a Jewish exile who felt a divine calling to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Despite facing significant opposition, he remained steadfast, famously declaring, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down." This statement underscores the necessity of prioritizing what is most important over what is merely urgent. By identifying and committing to what requires our undivided attention, we can significantly impact our lives and fulfill our divine purpose. [16:31]

Nehemiah 6:3 (ESV): "And I sent messengers to them, saying, 'I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?'"

Reflection: What is one area in your life where distractions are pulling you away from your "great work"? How can you refocus your attention on what truly matters today?


Day 2: Pre-Decide Your Priorities
Life is full of choices, and not all of them are equally important. By pre-deciding our priorities, we can resist the temptation to be swayed by less important matters. This involves creating a "no for now, but not forever" list, ensuring that our focus remains on what truly matters in this season of life. Understanding that while many things are good, not all are wise for the current season, allows us to make intentional decisions that align with our divine calling. By pre-deciding our priorities, we can stay on track and avoid being sidetracked by less important matters. [21:31]

Proverbs 4:25-27 (ESV): "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil."

Reflection: What is one priority you need to pre-decide today to ensure you stay focused on your divine calling? How can you create a "no for now, but not forever" list to help you stay on track?


Day 3: Eliminate Distractions
To stay focused on our "great work," we must identify and eliminate distractions, whether they be activities, habits, or relationships that hinder our progress. This requires making difficult decisions but is essential for achieving our goals. Nehemiah's story teaches us that eliminating distractions is not just about saying "no" to certain things but also about saying "yes" to what truly matters. By staying focused, we not only write a story we want to tell but also one that will be told about us. [30:42]

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Reflection: What is one distraction in your life that you need to eliminate to stay focused on your "great work"? How can you take a concrete step today to remove this distraction?


Day 4: The Importance of Saying No
Not all opportunities are wise for the current season of our lives. We must be willing to say "no" to certain things to prioritize what is most important. This ensures that we stay on track and do not get sidetracked by less important matters. Nehemiah's resolute response to opposition teaches us the value of saying "no" to distractions and "yes" to our divine calling. By prioritizing correctly, we can stay focused on our "great work" and fulfill our purpose. [22:31]

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

Reflection: What is one opportunity or commitment you need to say "no" to in this season of your life to prioritize what is most important? How can you communicate this decision with grace and clarity?


Day 5: Write Your Story
Every decision we make contributes to the story of our lives. By prioritizing correctly and staying focused, we write a story we want to tell and one that will be told about us. This requires dedication and a commitment to our "great work." Nehemiah's story is a testament to the power of focus and determination in fulfilling one's divine purpose. As we navigate our own lives, we must ask ourselves: What is our wall? What is the task or relationship that we must not abandon until it is complete? By identifying and committing to this "great work," we can write a story that reflects our values and purpose. [24:52]

Psalm 90:12 (ESV): "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

Reflection: What is the "great work" you are committed to completing in your life? How can you take a step today to ensure that your story reflects your values and divine purpose?

Quotes

I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. [00:16:31]

There may be that one thing that potentially impacts everything. For example, this may be the season or this may be the year where you've gotta work on that habit. There's that habit that you've gotta break. There's that project that you have to finish. There's that relationship that is time to restore. Or maybe there's a relationship that you need to retire. Or maybe there's a debt that you need to pay off. [00:94:828]

I don't want what's urgent to distract you from what's most important for you and maybe most important for your family. Or, as we're gonna see, what's most important for you in this particular season. So, if there's something that you need to get to the finish line, this is going to help. [00:141:574]

Whenever we have been tempted to opt for immediate over ultimate. Or want now over value most. Or opt for optional over what is essential. When I was tempted, you know, many, many times like we all are, to work late and to miss dinner, to work late and to miss times with our kids, those strategic times. [00:790:055]

We decided that in order to really be focused on what we needed to be focused on when our kids were young, that there were certain things that we just had to say no to ahead of time, whole categories of things. Now, it wasn't a matter of we can't find an opening on the calender. There were just several categories, I'm not gonna tell you what they were, we just decided categorically, these are things we don't do. [00:1247:479]

We called it, now, this is kinda corny, we called it our no for now, but not forever list. No for now, but not forever. In other words, this is a no for now, it's not a no forever, it's just a no for now. In this season, we don't do that, we don't participate in that, we don't go to those things, we don't say yes those opportunities. [00:1283:181]

And the reason this is important is because there are so many invitations, and so many opportunities and they're all mostly good. This isn't good versus bad, this is wise versus unwise. And this isn't throughout your life, this is during a season of your life. If you are a student, you need a no for now, but not forever list. [00:1315:747]

What is your wall? What is the thing you dare not come down from until the work is done? What is the thing that you have to stay focused on until it changes, or until it's restored? Whether it's all year, or whether it's an entire season of your life. Maybe it's that habit that you finally need to break. Maybe it's a business that you know you need to start. [00:1692:123]

And every time you hear me or somebody else talk about restoring a relationship and you think in your heart, yeah, I need to do that, but it never feels urgent. It's extremely important, but it's never urgent and it just never gets done. But maybe restoring that relationship is the key to unlocking somebody's heart, somebody's bitterness that allows them to forgive you or forgive somebody they need to forgive. [00:1724:255]

And let me just say something to all of our high school juniors and seniors and all the college students that are listening, your parents have an insight and have an intuition about your friends that you lack, and you don't lack it because you're not smart. You lack because you're in your teens or your 20s. [00:1906:871]

You are doing a great work, you dare not get distracted. And for most of you, not all of you, but for most of you, somebody else is depending on you to stay focused on your great work. So, there are many things you will do this year and there are many things you can do this year, but what is the one thing you must do this year? [00:2007:205]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?