Strengthen my hands

Nehemiah 6:9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be complete.”  But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

There are so many times when we are tempted to give up on something God has given us to do because of things that happen or things that people say to us that discourage us.  It is important to keep in mind God’s call on us for whatever task it is that we are doing, and to remember that our enemy will do whatever he can to discourage or destroy us and render us unable to work.  We can pray this same prayer that Nehemiah prayed, “Strengthen my hands.”  Even the act of praying this simple prayer has brought courage and strength to keep on keeping on when I have prayed it.  It has kept me from giving up when otherwise I would have done so.