The Wall of Words: When Critics Try to Stop Your Calling
- Thad DeBuhr
- Oct 21
- 10 min read
NEHEMIAH 30 Day Challenge: DAY 7
You finally find the motivation to start a major project—maybe it’s launching a side business, stepping up as a leader, or just getting a house remodel finished. You’re fueled by purpose and ready to build. Then the comments start.
It might be a coworker's passive-aggressive email, a skeptical relative's constant questioning, or the loud, mocking voices of online critics. Suddenly, the energy you were pouring into the work is sucked away into a defensive fight. You feel the crushing emotional weight of having to defend your worth, your vision, and your effort against people who aren't even helping.
This is exactly what the Jewish people faced when they tried to rebuild Jerusalem.
How do you keep building your life when your critics are focused only on tearing you down?
(Stick with us—at the end of this study, we have a special Bonus Section dedicated to helping you overcome the worst critic of all: the one inside your own head. Learn the Bible's solution for silencing your inner Sanballat!)
Before you dig into the story, I would encourage you to read through the passage in two different bible translations from this list: NIV, NLT, NASB, ESV, NKJV
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Setting the Scene: Taunts Against the Task
The leader in this story, Nehemiah, was a Jewish official who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city's walls. To understand the critics' power, you have to understand the history of neglect.
The Century of Shame
Jerusalem's walls were destroyed by the Babylonians around 586 BC. When Nehemiah arrived, it was roughly 141 years later (445 BC).
Priority Shift: Over that century, waves of exiled Jews returned home, led by men like Zerubbabel and Ezra. They prioritized what was essential for survival and worship: they rebuilt the Temple (the spiritual center), and then they rebuilt their homes, businesses, and farms (their economy).
Accepting the Ruin: They had gotten incredibly comfortable living with a wall-less, defenseless city. Living among the rubble and burned gates was a constant source of shame and vulnerability, but after 141 years, it had become normal. The people had lost all hope that such a massive project would ever be completed.
The Symbolism of the Wall: For the Jewish people, a completed wall represented security, honor, and a fully restored identity. A city without walls was vulnerable, shamed, and politically powerless. Rebuilding it was a declaration that God was restoring His people to their homeland and purpose, making it a direct threat to neighboring leaders.
Nehemiah's Radical Leadership
Nehemiah, a man of profound faith, managed to motivate an entire community—a population base estimated to be around 5,000 to 10,000 people—to stop focusing on their comfortable, individual lives and put their energy into a communal project that had been neglected for 141 years.
His leadership was powered by vision, not nagging. What did he see and say? He didn't just see a pile of stones; he connected the physical wall to their spiritual dignity. He likely said: "You are living in shame and danger, but you don't have to. The God who brought you home is strong enough to protect you. Let's stop accepting the ruins and start building the future."
This passion for God's honor is what motivated an entire population to set aside personal comfort and work with "enthusiasm."
The Attack
The enemies, like Sanballat and Tobiah (neighboring officials who didn't want a strong Jerusalem), knew the historical pain. Their ridicule was a calculated tactic:
The Insult: They specifically mention the "scorched ones"—the burned, ruined stones—to remind the Jews of their greatest defeat. It was a cruel stab at their past failures and God’s perceived judgment.
The Taunt: Calling them "feeble, helpless" and saying a "fox" could knock the wall down was meant to destroy their self-worth and make them quit.
Nehemiah's response is the main lesson: he doesn't get into an argument. He takes the insult, hands the entire conflict to God (the ultimate Judge), and then, most powerfully, immediately returns to the work. He chose renewed focus over an endless protest.
Questions to Chew on and Discuss:
Think about Sanballat's comment that the builders couldn't use the "scorched stones." What is a past failure or mistake that critics (or even your inner voice) try to use to mock or stop your current efforts?
Nehemiah motivated people to work on a wall that had been ignored for 141 years. What is a long-neglected "wall" or project in your own life that you've grown comfortable ignoring, and what is the biggest source of hope or vision you need to tackle it?
The text says the people went back to work because they had a "mind to work." How does handing over an argument to God (praying) help free up the mental space and energy required to focus on your purpose (working)?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
Think about a time recently when you started a good work (at home, in ministry, or at work) only to have it met with mockery or discouragement. What was your initial internal reaction? Were you tempted to quit, argue, or get distracted? Share one specific challenge you faced and how it affected your focus.
Applying It Today: PRAYER OVER PROTEST
The guiding lesson from Nehemiah is: When facing opposition, do not engage in the debate; instead, pray to God and return to the work with renewed focus.
Here is a practical outline of how to apply this principle to your own projects and goals:
Step 1: Commit the Conflict (Pray)
This is the act of immediately releasing the burden of defense and justice to God.
🛑 How to Do it Wrong (The Temptation): You Rehearse by spending hours writing a lengthy email or rehearsing a verbal defense, feeling the need to justify your actions to your critics. You Internalize the criticism by replaying it in your mind, letting it erode your confidence and convince you that the critics are right.
✅ How to Do it Right (Nehemiah’s Way): You Release the offense. Stop typing or rehearsing. Take a moment to name the insult and the pain to God, and immediately release the entire offense to Him for justice, trusting Him as the ultimate Judge. You Re-align your focus. State your purpose to God. If the work is aligned with God's will, confirm that the battle belongs to Him. Focus on God's approval, not the critic's.
Step 2: Cut the Debate (Refuse to Engage)
This is the active step of preserving your mental and emotional energy.
🛑 How to Do it Wrong (The Temptation): You Seek Validation by trying to convince the critic, replying to their comment, or worrying about their opinion until your enthusiasm for the work fades. You Distract yourself by letting the argument become a new project—researching why they are wrong, complaining to friends, or seeking others to defend you.
✅ How to Do it Right (Nehemiah’s Way): You Set Boundaries. Recognize that engaging in a debate gives the critic exactly what they want: your attention and distraction. Refuse to waste another minute on justifying your actions or feelings. You Re-route Energy. Every time you feel the urge to argue or defend, pause. Use that mental energy to perform a positive action instead (e.g., I will write one more line of code instead of one more line of defense.).
Step 3: Complete the Calling (Return to Work)
This is the ultimate proof that the opposition failed.
🛑 How to Do it Wrong (The Temptation): You Abandon the project by feeling defeated, slowing down, or giving up altogether, letting the critics succeed in stopping God's plan. You Wait until you feel fully motivated or until the critics apologize before starting again.
✅ How to Do it Right (Nehemiah’s Way): You Dedicate yourself to the task. Re-focus your efforts and energy entirely on the task before you. The progress of the work—the building of the wall—is the silent, most powerful answer to the mockery. You Act. Take a physical step forward, even if it’s a small one, because you have a "mind to work" (Nehemiah chapter 4, verse 6).
Action generates momentum that discouragement cannot stop.
BONUS: How to Handle Your Own Worst Critic
When you face external criticism, you can walk away from the person. But what happens when the voice of Sanballat and Tobiah starts coming from inside your own head? The harshest criticism we often face is our own self-doubt, shame, and feelings of inadequacy.
The Flaw of Inner Self-Talk
Much of the modern guidance for handling self-doubt emphasizes techniques like "positive self-talk" or looking within yourself for the solution, suggesting that you already have the answers deep inside. The problem with this approach is that it asks your subjective, messy self to fix your subjective, messy thoughts. You are trying to use your own feelings to combat your own negative feelings. It's like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.
The biblical solution is fundamentally different: it asks you to stop looking inside for a solution and instead look outside yourself to the objective truth of God.
The Biblical Solution: Identity Swap
The only true way to silence the inner critic is to move the source of your identity from your shifting feelings or flawed performance to the unchanging truth of who God says you are.
The problem lies in Focusing Inward. The source of your identity is your feelings, your past mistakes (your internal "scorched stones"), and your current performance. Your Self-Talk is subjective: it says, "I am a failure," or, conversely, "I am a good person and I can fix this." Both are based on self-evaluation and are therefore unstable.
The solution requires Focusing Outward. Your true Source of Identity is the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, as confirmed by Scripture. The God's Truth is an objective fact, regardless of how you feel: "There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus" (Romans chapter 8, verse 1).
Three Steps to Silence the Inner Sanballat
Identify the Source of the Lie: The Bible teaches that self-condemnation and constant shame are not always "just you." They are often spiritual attacks designed to stop your calling, just as Sanballat's words were designed to stop the wall. When that voice says, "You are too weak/damaged/unqualified," recognize it as a lie and treat it as an external enemy, not your core self.
Trade the Lie for the Legal Document: Don't just argue back with a nice feeling; speak a truth that is legally binding. The Bible is God's legal statement about your worth. Instead of saying, "I am capable," say, "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" (Philippians chapter 4, verse 13). Instead of saying, "I am terrible," say, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans chapter 5, verse 8).
Return to Building—with Thanks: Nehemiah's solution was always to get back to the work. When the inner critic strikes, the best response is not self-flagellation, but thankfulness. Focus on the few stones you have already laid this week. Thank God for the little progress, for the strength he has given you, and for the simple fact that you are still standing. Thankfulness shifts your focus from what you lack to what you have received, putting the "mind to work" back in charge.
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Have you ever struggled to discern God's voice amidst the noise of modern life and spiritual claims? This jam-packed study guide is your essential tool for confidently navigating the world of prophets and prophecy, grounding your faith firmly in the Bible.
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Discerning God's Voice
This guide provides a comprehensive framework to move you from passive acceptance to active, confident discernment.
Understanding the Prophet's Role: It clarifies that a prophet is a spokesperson for God (naˉḇıˆʾ), contrasting the Old Testament role of authoritative, foundational revelation (forth-telling and foretelling) with the New Testament role of edification, exhortation, and comfort—always in harmony with the completed foundation of Scripture.
Prophecy vs. Word of Knowledge: You'll learn the key distinction between prophecy (a message for the church's well-being, applying biblical truth) and a word of knowledge (a divinely given, supernatural fact for ministry or guidance).
Your Spiritual Lie Detector: The guide equips you with three vital biblical tests for any message:
The Doctrine Test: Does the message align with the final authority of Scripture?
The Character Test: Does the person speaking the word exhibit the fruit of the Spirit?
The Fulfillment Test: Does any specific, verifiable prediction come true?
Hearing God for Yourself: Ultimately, your most reliable way to hear from God is through a personal relationship, focusing on the Bible as God's primary voice and prayer as a two-way conversation. When sharing a personal message, the guide emphasizes phrasing it humbly as an invitation, not a demand.
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