He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29–31)

I know of few afflictions more persistent than discouragement. It’s like a debilitating disease. Rare is the person who can resist or overcome it alone.

If we look closely, we will discover four causes for Nehemiah’s discouragement.

1. A loss of strength. “Thus in Judah it was said, ‘The strength of the burden bearers is failing’” (Nehemiah 4:10 NASB). In other words, “These people, Nehemiah, have been working a long time, and they are getting tired.” They were halfway through the project, which means that the excitement of starting a new venture had worn off.
2. A loss of vision. Did you notice what Judah said? “Yet there is much rubbish” (4:10 NASB). Lying all around the workers are piles of debris—dirt, broken stones, dried chunks of mortar. Rubbish and discouragement perfectly complement one another to flatten morale.
3. A loss of confidence. When people lose confidence in their ability to accomplish a task, or in the merit of the objective, or in the approval and presence of God, discouragement is the inevitable result. The wearied people began to whine, “We ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall” (4:10 NASB). The loss of strength and vision leads to the loss of confidence. And with the loss of confidence, discouragement is not far behind.
4. A loss of security. “Our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work’” (4:11 NASB) When the workers heard of the plot and realized how serious their enemies were, they suddenly slumped into discouragement. They lost their sense of safety.

Perhaps today you find yourself standing before the door of opportunity or change. Your strength has run out. Your confidence has faded. Your vision has grown dim. Wait! You may be on the verge of the greatest years of your life. On the other side of that barrier—if you just keep pressing on, doing what you know to be right—the reward of faithfulness awaits you.

Taken from Hand Me Another Brick by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2006 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. www.harpercollinschristian.com