How
do we respond to adverse circumstances? We can respond in a godly way
or we can respond in a worldly fashion. "The walls of Jerusalem ... had
been broken down, and its gates ... had been destroyed by fire"
(Nehemiah 2:13). Nehemiah responded with faith in God: "Come, let us
rebuild the wall of Jerusalem ... The gracious hand of God is upon me"
(Nehemiah 2:18). "Sanballat ... Tobiah ... and Geshem" responded in a
worldly way: "They mocked and ridiculed us" (Nehemiah 2:19). There are
still two quite different responses to suffering. In faith, we can say,
"You are just in these judgments, You who are and who were, the Holy
One ... Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments"
(Revelation 16:5,7). There is also the negative reaction: "They cursed
the Name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to
repent and glorify Him" (Revelation 16:9,11). Scripture leaves us in
no doubt that the better way is the way of praise - "How good it is to
sing praises to our God" (Psalm 147:1). We see that "the Lord builds up
Jerusalem" and we give praise to the Lord (Psalm 147:2). This
"building up" of Jerusalem is more than building with bricks and
mortar. It is the gathering together of the Lord's people, the healing
of the broken-hearted, the binding up of their wounds (Psalm 147:7). As
we consider this "building up", which is the work of God Himself, we
are to "sing to the Lord with thanksgiving" (Psalm 147:7). When we
choose the way of praise rather than the way of complaint, we bring
delight to the Lord: "The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put
their hope in His unfailing love" (Psalm 147:11).
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