Don't let anything keep me from doing what God had called me to do Ezra 4:2,4-6

Ezra 4:2 (New International Version)

² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here."


 ⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. ^{[a] 5} They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.  ⁶ At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, ^[b] they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.


In Ezra, God called His people to rebuild the temple. They obeyed God and the work was going well when the people around them saw their success and set out to prevent them form completing their work. First, they tried to distract them by drawing them into a relationship that was unhealthy and unholy. When that didn't work they tried to discourage them by hiring people to frustrate their plans. When that didn't work they sent a letter to the king bringing false accusations against them. It was working until Haggai and Zechariah encouraged them  in the Lord (Ezra 5:1). that got them back on track with what God had called them to do.

I have experienced this same thing in my life. When I draw close to God and am living for Him, things come into my life to disrupt all the good that He is doing in me and through me. It could be people in my life or it could be circumstances, but the pattern is similar. First comes the distraction. It is usually subtle and appears harmless. In fact, it may even be disguised as helpful, but it is designed to pull my attention away from God and the work He is doing in me. If I don't fall for that right away, then the discouragement comes. People or situations are put in my life to get me to doubt what I am doing and question what God wants. It could come in the form of anger or depression but their is always more emotion attached to it than before. It gets my attention and takes more of my time and energy to work through. If that doesn't work then come the all out attack. Accusations and lies are usually par of it. This takes focus off of God because all my energy goes into defending myself and what I am doing. By this time I need outside encouragement and support but am usually too stubborn to accept it or ask. I usually end up isolating myself which makes matters worse. Once I allow others in, the healing begins and i get back on track with God. This process has happened in small ways and big, but the pattern is usually similar.

I don't believe this is just a coincidence or a self-destructive pattern, I believe there is more going on. I know the close I draw to God and live to please Him, the bigger a threat I am to Satan. I am convinced this process is a spiritual attack in response to my closer relationship with God. Satan knows how to push my buttons and he does it well. I allow it to pull my focus away from what God has for me. I need to recognize it for what it is and draw closer to God during those times instead of allowing it ot put a wedge in my relationship with Him.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for the work You do in me and through me. I thank  You for all the changes You have made in my life. As I draw closer to You, attacks come in many different forms. I pray that those attacks will not allow my focus to shift off of You. I pray that You would keep a hedge of protection around me so that I might give my undivided attention to what You have called me to. When I stray, bring people into my life who can encourage me and remind me of my true purpose in this life. Get me back on tract to live out the calling You have given me. In Jesus' name.

Keep the SON in your eyes,
Ron