Purpose Study Bible 359: Don't Come Down
As Nehemiah and the people continued to build, their opposition was relentless:
When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer (Nehemiah 6:1-4).
Each time his enemies asked for a meeting, Nehemiah gave the same answer: “I can't come down off the wall.” His enemies couldn't stop the work directly, so they tried to get him away from the work. Nehemiah understood that not every invitation deserved his attention, and he refused to allow their agenda to become his.
Don't underestimate the level of opposition and distraction you will encounter when you embark on your creative purpose. At the end of the day, you will simply have to persevere and refuse to come down from your place on the wall. Centuries after Nehemiah, Peter wrote,
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).
Notice that Peter connected perseverance with being effective and productive. It's not enough to start your work with enthusiasm; you must develop the character to stay with it until it's finished. Sometimes perseverance doesn't mean working harder. It means knowing what to say no to so you can continue saying yes to the work God has given you.
What are you experiencing that requires you to be reminded of Nehemiah's example and Peter's words? Are you ready to give up or being distracted by things trying to get you off the wall? Can you see that the process is building something in you while you build something of significance?
Whether the opposition is from without or within, the response is often the same. Stay the course, adjust where necessary, but keep your eye on the prize. Don't allow opposition, distraction, or discouragement to bring you down from your place on the wall. Keep building, trusting God to help you accomplish what He has given you to do for His glory.