No noble purpose can become reality without some kind of resistance. Whether planting a church, starting a business, launching a nonprofit, or tackling a major new vision initiative, resistance always awaits those who disrupt the status quo. That was certainly the case for Nehemiah when he boldly pursued a vision to rebuild the wall and the gates around Jerusalem. It didn’t take long for his God-inspired vision to bump into three obstacles: ridicule, weariness and fear.

The Hardship of Ridicule

After rallying the people of Israel to rebuild the wall, and then engaging each person with a clear assignment (Nehemiah 3), it didn’t take long for ridicule to sound the alarm. On multiple occasions, Nehemiah and the people faced the harassment of naysayers.

One occasion happened in Nehemiah 4:1-3: “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble — burned as they are?’ Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, ‘What they are building — even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!’”

This was Old Testament trash talk. Sanballat and Tobiah ridiculed the work and the workers, scorning their efforts to do something significant. Can you relate? How many times has somebody told you why you can’t go back to school, write that book, reach that goal, or achieve that dream? How many times has someone reminded you of your inadequacies and your insecurities when you’ve tried to champion a fresh vision?

In my experience, the people who ridicule your dream are the people who don’t have one. Your dream is a reminder of their disappointment. So, when somebody tries to slap their downer on your divine dream, just keep on walking. You can silence your naysayers in one of two ways — by achieving the dream or abandoning the dream. It’s your choice.

The Hardship of Weariness

Nehemiah 4:10 provides a perfect description of the weariness the people experienced while working on the wall: “Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.’”

Isn’t it amazing how much weariness sounds like whining? When you were a kid and your parents told you to clean your room, mow the grass, take out the trash, or do the laundry, how many times did you jump up and thank them for the opportunity? Never! Not once.

Instead, most of us started whining. “But Dad, it’s hot outside.” “But Mom, I cleaned my room last month.” Of course, that probably didn’t get you very far. It didn’t matter that you were weary because you stayed up late the night before. You had work to do, despite your weariness.

When you face weariness in ministry, you can whine, or you can work. You can complain about not having enough volunteers — or staff, or money, or opportunity — or you can apply all of that energy to doing something that matters.

God doesn’t leave you when you leave your comfort zone to pursue a bold new vision.

Remember, God isn’t as interested in removing the stress around us as He is in building the resources within us. The apostle Paul said, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).

God has equipped you for what He has called you to. He didn’t equip you to quit. Persevere by leaning in to the inner resources He has given you to win the battle.

The Hardship of Fear

Nehemiah’s hardship didn’t end with ridicule and weariness; fear also made itself known. Nehemiah 4:11-12 says, “Also our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.’ Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, ‘Wherever you turn, they will attack us.’”

Fear and intimidation assaulted the people from every direction — constantly and continually. Nehemiah was reminded of it “ten times over.”

The same thing happens today. You start a major new initiative, and people tell you “ten times over” why it won’t work, or why it can’t work. Fear has found a microphone, and as the leader, you get to hear it. Those same fears will try to take root inside of you. In fact, the bigger the vision, the bigger the fear.

When God calls you to do something noble, something that matters, something that can change the trajectory of a life, a church, or even a city, you can be sure that your spiritual enemy will do his best to make you scared.

Nehemiah didn’t fall for it. Instead, he let fear become fuel for his future. Nehemiah 6:9 says, “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.’”

Nehemiah fought fear with prayer, which actually makes quite a bit of sense. Prayer helps you step out of the shadow of fear and into the shadow of God. It reminds you of how big your God actually is, and His presence strengthens your hands to continue the work to which He has called you.

Fear didn’t stop Nehemiah and the people from stepping into their God-ordained destiny. In fact, the fear their enemies brought against them ultimately moved the other direction. Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.”

Ridicule, weariness and fear are the companions of leadership. If you were never ridiculed, never tired, and never afraid, would you really be doing anything that mattered? The good news is that in the midst of these hardships, you are not alone.

The God who pushes you off the diving board is the same God waiting for you in the water. He doesn’t leave you when you leave your comfort zone to pursue a bold new vision. As with Nehemiah, God speaks to you and then goes with you.

Be sure you take the journey with others as well. God never meant for us to fight through the hardships of ministry alone. Persevere with others. When you surround yourself with friends and mentors, you’ll find encouragement when ridiculed, strength when weary, and courage when afraid. Don’t quit. You can, and will, succeed.