You’re going to face opposition. Encouraging, right? But as Christians, this shouldn’t surprise us. We were never promised a comfortable, easy life. Instead, we are promised a life marked by trouble, obstacles, and suffering. And when we decide to pursue God’s work? That opposition tends to intensify.
Fortunately, we have sources of encouragement in these times of struggle. In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah set out to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem—necessary work to protect the Jewish people. And before long, he found himself face to face with opposition.
Two men—Sanballat and Tobiah—made it their mission to stop the work he was doing.
First they tried making fun of him by belittling the quality of his work. When that failed to stop Nehemiah, their opposition escalated, and soon they were plotting to attack and kill everyone at work on the wall.
Nehemiah could have dished it back at Sanballat and Tobiah, insulting them in return and driving them off with his own show of force. He could have taken their threats as a sign from God that he was in over his head and run away while he still had the chance. But he didn’t.
3 Ways to Deal With Opposition
What did Nehemiah do? And what should we do, when we face opposition to the work God’s given us?
1 We Pray for God's Help
Nehemiah prays twice in the fourth chapter of his namesake book—once after hearing Sanballat and Tobiah’s taunts, and again after hearing of their plot to come and fight against Jerusalem. No matter what sort of opposition you face, asking God for help is the right first step to take.
2. We Remember our Goal
We keep our eyes on the finish line. Nehemiah didn’t engage with Sanballat and Tobiah. He continued with the work God had given him. Don’t let opposition cause you to wander from the work God’s given you—once you’ve started God’s work, keep at it.
3. We Work Together
Nehemiah wasn’t rebuilding the wall on his own. Dozens of people were working alongside him. And together, they were able to take the precautions necessary to keep all the Jews in Jerusalem safe. Similarly, God will nearly always give us partners in the work we do for Him. If you face opposition, lean on one another. We’re stronger together.
Opposition Might Be Valid
But opposition isn’t always baseless. Wealthy Jews were forcing the poor to borrow money at high interest and mortgage their fields, vineyards, and homes to feed their families. Even worse, in some cases, the poor had no choice but to subject their children to slavery in order to stay alive.
He didn't ignore this obstacle when the poor came forward to Nehemiah with their situation. He understood this conflict threatened the unity of those rebuilding the wall and was contrary to God’s love for the poor. Which meant Nehemiah needed to act.
After thinking it over, he went to the wealthy people and confronted them about what they had done. His case was so godly that they could find nothing to say in defense of their actions, and they agreed to return all they had taken from their fellow people.
When inside opposition is valid, we should deal with it head-on.
So, how can we tell the difference between baseless and valid opposition? Pray. Seek God’s Word. Ask God for the wisdom you need to tell the difference and for direction in dealing with whatever obstacles come your way. He’ll help you find your next step forward.