Distracted?

God says,

"For I know the plans I have for you. They are not plans to harm you, but plans to give you hope and a future." (See Jeremiah 29:11)

This is, perhaps, one of the most quoted passages of scripture, and it is true. The simple truth is that God has a plan for each and every one of our lives and it is ultimately our choice to decide if we will choose his plans or his own.

"I have set you on the best pathway for your life, I will advise and watch over you" (Psalm 32:8, NLT)

"The Lord will work out his plans for my life, for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever (Psalm 138:8, NLT)

It's been nearly three months since I chose to follow God where he was leading me. My expectations were that everything would go smoothly and that I would transition nicely into my new job and zip code. I was looking forward to taking classes on campus and looking forward to meeting new people, well kind of. I still wish I could have packed some of my favorites from home and brought them with me, but that's another story for another time. Well, let me just tell you that nothing has happened as I expected, absolutely nothing. I was far more home-sick than I anticipated and the first month was incredibly difficult, and lots of crying happened. The job is hard, much harder than I expected, and it's not really something I enjoy doing. January and February are slow months in the hospitality industry, so my hours went from 40+ a week to maybe 10-20. Even though I was proactive in looking for additional jobs as soon as I moved down here, I have yet to secure one. Which frustrates me to no end. Since I do not have enough income to live on, let alone pay for school, I had to drop out of classes for this semester. I will say that I am thankful that God has placed me in the home of people who love the Lord and I am blessed to live where I do. That is the one blessing that was unexpected. I have met some new people and that has been a blessing, so I don't want to forget to mention that. Sorry this all seems so negative right now, just bear with me. So what does this have to do with being distracted? Lots. Stay with me here.

When the Israelites were first lead out of Egypt, it didn't take long for the complaining to start. In Exodus 15, they are singing a song of praise about their newly found freedom, but even before the end of that chapter, they are complaining, and the complaining continues.

"If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt", they moaned, "there we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted, but now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us to death." (Exodus 16:3, NLT)

The Israelites continued complaining about how they would have been better off back in Egypt and with everything that God gave them, a complaint followed. No wonder they wandered in the desert for 40 years! They did not trust God and they didn't trust that he would come through on his promise to deliver them into the promised land, the land of milk and honey. Even when God blessed them by providing food and water, they still complained.

"Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. 3 After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there.

4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” (Numbers 11:1-4, NLT)

Now, I don't know about you, but that was pretty convicting to me. God provided, and they complained because it didn't meet their expectations and since it didn't meet their expectations, they devised that God could not be trusted.

Have I been doing that, Lord? Is it true?

A little over a month ago I had a conversation with one of my friends. She said that she felt that God wanted me to know that the enemy was tempting me to complain, just like the Israelites, but for me to resist that temptation because it was ultimately a distraction from doing what God wanted me to do, and that is to trust him. Trust God. I thought I did trust God. I thought I fully trusted God, but moving away from the familiar into the unknown much like the Israelites did, has caused me to realize that I do not trust God as fully as I thought. Now, I admit that his is heart breaking for me to realize, not to mention admit, but I know that this is an opportunity to learn and grow, and as difficult as that may be, I want it.

The enemy can distract us with the temptation to complain, and on this one, I have been giving in to that temptation. Has anyone else been there?

The enemy attempted to distract Nehemiah other ways. He was enlisted by God to re-build the wall around Jerusalem and Nehemiah was determined to fulfill that calling. Check this out.

"Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (Nehemiah 4:1-3, NLT)

The enemy tried to be-little Nehemiah and make him think he was not good enough, or that what he was doing would fail. So what did Nehemiah do? He turned to God.

"Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” (Nehemiah 4:4-5)

That attempt to distract Nehemiah from his calling failed. So, the enemy, through Sanballat, tried to tempt the builders with complaining. It worked on some, but not on Nehemiah.

10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” (Nehemiah 4:10, NLT)

The enemy tried fear and intimidation, but Nehemiah stood strong.

"14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm." (Nehemiah 4:14-18, NLT)

The enemy tried to deceive Nehemiah, but he didn't fall for that either.

8 I replied, “There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making up the whole thing.”

9 They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. (Nehemiah 6:8-9, NLT)

Wow! Nehemiah is my hero! No matter what tactic the enemy tried to distract him with, it was unsuccessful! This got me thinking. Complaining. Intimidation. Fear. Deception. Isn't that exactly what the enemy has been distracting me with? Isn't that what the enemy uses on all of us to get us off course and to take our eyes off of God? The enemy has no new tricks, and yet, we all fall for them. What did Nehemiah have that kept him from falling prey to the schemes of the enemy?

He knew God deeply. Nehemiah very clearly knew who God was and he knew that God would come through on his part of the promise and plan.

He trusted God fully. There was no question in his mind that God was bigger than whatever the enemy threw his way. God would be victorious because it was in his nature.

He walked with God daily. Nehemiah depended on God to fulfill the plans that he had for Nehemiah's life and he was fully confident in his ability to follow through. Nehemiah depended on God daily and chose to believe him over the enemy.

He turned to God first. When difficulty happened, Nehemiah didn't leave room for doubt. He turned to God immediately.

With all these things, there was certainly no way that the enemy would ever be successful. Nehemiah completed the job that God had for him, despite the difficulty and he never wavered in trusting God.

When we give into the enemy, it is almost always because there is some part of us, no matter how small, that doesn't believe that God will come through on his end and we fail to trust that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he says he will do. Perhaps it is because we let our expectations of how his plans will look to completely influence our success. Perhaps we believe, and pridefully so, that our ways are better than God's. Perhaps we only want God's plan for us if it is easy and if it comes difficulty free. Ouch!

God made it clear to me prior to moving down here, that it would not be easy, and even with that warning, the minute it became difficult was the minute I wanted to go home.

Since God has made it perfectly clear that I need to stay, I will. I will also lean harder on him and learn day by day to trust him a little more. I know it wont be easy, but now that I know how the enemy has been trying, and succeeding in distracting me, I will be on my guard and I'll take a little advise from Nehemiah. Despite the distractions the enemy sends my way, I will choose to "continue the work with even greater determination." How about you?

Lord, I am so very thankful for your Word that brings light to the darkness and shows me the things I need to improve on. Lord, I know that this is your way of teaching me to be more like you and to face each day in life by being mindful of who You are and whose I am. Lord, I ask for the strength to take on each day trusting you fully and I ask for you to increase my ability to trust you. Lord, I know that you are faithful and that you keep your promises. Lord, I know that you are good and only do good. Lord I know that your love for me far surpasses anything I can imagine. Lord, I know that you hold me close. Help me to live each day in complete surrender and trust to you and to your plans for my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.