#6 #6 Discouragement: cause and cureDiscouragement: cause and cure

Nehemiah 4: 9-23

“Hand Me Another Brick”

OutlineOutline1.1.A story.A story.

2.2.Last Week ReviewLast Week Review

3.3.Today’s introductionToday’s introductiono Group activitiesGroup activities

4.4.The 4 causes of discouragementThe 4 causes of discouragement

5.5.The 5 cures of discouragementThe 5 cures of discouragement

6.6.Conclusion and ActionConclusion and Action

A StoryA Story

ReviewReview

Evidence of Nehemiah’s WallEvidence of Nehemiah’s Wall

Science on NBC News 11/29/2007 The Wall of Nehemiah FoundPhoto shows pieces of pottery discovered in a Tower believed to be built around Nehemiah’s time.

Science on NBC News 11/29/2007 The Wall of Nehemiah FoundPhoto shows pieces of pottery discovered in a Tower believed to be built around Nehemiah’s time.

The simple project met Stiff The simple project met Stiff

OppositionsOppositions

• When the wall was half built, the discouragement finally brought their work to a standstill.o What caused the problem of discouragement?o How did Nehemiah cure it?

IntroductionIntroduction

Half Time is Usually the Tough Half Time is Usually the Tough

TimeTime

Group Activity (10 Group Activity (10 minutes)minutes)

1. Provide one or two events that caused you to feel that things got out of control.1. ______________________________________________________________2. ______________________________________________________________3. ______________________________________________________________

2. Was the discouragement more task-oriented or people-oriented?

3. After the class, discuss how to cure these discouragements.

ExamplesExamples1. Provide one or two events that caused you to feel

that things got out of control.My team has been leading a big change to secure the access in Qualcomm cell phone chips. Half way through this high risk project, the repeated criticism began to discourage members of our team.

Some critics have recently accused us that we should have:

1.Followed better communication process.

2.Kept the old way of secure cell phone chips.

2. Was the discouragement more task-oriented or people-oriented?1.Mostly people-oriented: some team members began to have cold feet. Some people are born nay-sayers.

2.Some are task oriented: I made some errors.

3. How to cure the above discouragements?oAny suggestions?

Causes of Discouragement 1/2 Causes of Discouragement 1/2 1.1. Lose of energy.Lose of energy.

(10a) The builders are (10a) The builders are too tired to carry on.too tired to carry on.

2.2. Lose of vision Lose of vision (10b) there is (10b) there is much rubbish.much rubbish.

3.3. Lose of faithLose of faith(10c) … And we (10c) … And we ourselves are unable to ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall.rebuild the wall.

Cause of Discouragement 2/2Cause of Discouragement 2/24.4. Lose of SecurityLose of Security11 11 Our enemies said, “They will Our enemies said, “They will

not know or see until we not know or see until we come among them, kill them come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” and put a stop to the work.” 12 12 When the Jews who lived When the Jews who lived near them came and told us near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up ten times, “They will come up against us from every place against us from every place where you may turn,”where you may turn,”

Time of Crisis Calls for Time of Crisis Calls for LeadershipLeadership

The Wall Project is in Crisis:Events ran out of control. The entire team were discouraged to a standstill.

How would Nehemiah handle or overcome the crisis?

Cure of Discouragement 1/5Cure of Discouragement 1/5

1.1. Unite the people Unite the people with common with common and worthy and worthy causecause

13 13 then I then I stationed stationed menmen i in the lowest n the lowest parts of the parts of the space behind space behind the wall, the wall, the exposed the exposed places, and places, and I stationed the I stationed the people in people in families with families with their swords, their swords, spears and spears and bows. bows. 

Cure of Discouragement 2/5Cure of Discouragement 2/5

2.2. Direct attention Direct attention to the Lordto the Lord

Cure of Discouragement 3/5Cure of Discouragement 3/5

3.3.Encourage them to Encourage them to maintain a Balancemaintain a Balance   16 16 From that day on, From that day on,

half of my servants half of my servants carried on the work carried on the work while half of them held while half of them held the spears, the shields, the spears, the shields, the bows and the the bows and the breastplates; and the breastplates; and the captains captains werewere behind  behind the whole house of the whole house of Judah. Judah. 17 17 Those who Those who were rebuilding the were rebuilding the wall and those who wall and those who carried burdens carried burdens took took theirtheir load with  load with one hand doing the one hand doing the work and the other work and the other holding a weapon.holding a weapon.

Cure of Discouragement 4/5Cure of Discouragement 4/54.4. Provide a rally Provide a rally

point as team point as team 19 19 I said to the nobles, the officials I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far we are separated on the wall far from one another.from one another. 20  20 At whatever At whatever place you hear the sound of the place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”will fight for us.”

Nehemiah’s leadership:  Decisiveness.  He set up a system where half the men worked while the other half stood guard.  Furthermore, he set up a communication system — “the sound of the trumpet” would alert people that there was trouble.  Then they could concentrate on their work, without looking over their shoulders all the time.

Nehemiah’s leadership:  Decisiveness.  He set up a system where half the men worked while the other half stood guard.  Furthermore, he set up a communication system — “the sound of the trumpet” would alert people that there was trouble.  Then they could concentrate on their work, without looking over their shoulders all the time.

Cure of Discouragement 5/5Cure of Discouragement 5/5

5.5. Occupy them with Occupy them with mutual servicesmutual services22 22 At that time I also said to At that time I also said to

the people, “Let each man the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard that they may be a guard for us by night and a for us by night and a

laborer by day.”laborer by day.”   1.1.Nehemiah created a Nehemiah created a protective buddy protective buddy system.system.2.2.People begin to bond People begin to bond into strong trusting into strong trusting relationships.relationships.

Conclusion and AI Conclusion and AI During time of discouragement, try these During time of discouragement, try these ideas:ideas:

1.1.Focus your eyes upon God and upon our Focus your eyes upon God and upon our goal.goal.

2.2.Maintain balance.Maintain balance.

3.3.Return to a rallying point.Return to a rallying point.

4.4.Reenergize through serving each other.Reenergize through serving each other.

Action Item:Action Item:

Apply one or more of the above ideas Apply one or more of the above ideas this week when you feel discouraged.this week when you feel discouraged.

Action ExamplesAction Examples1. Provide one or two events that caused you to feel

that things got out of control.1. My team has been leading a big change to secure Qualcomm cell

phone chips. Half way through this high risk project, the repeated criticism began to chisel away at our confidence.

2. Some critics have recently accused us that we should have:1. Followed better communication process.2. Kept the old way of secure cell phone chips.

2. Was the discouragement more task-oriented or people-oriented?1. Mostly people-oriented: some team members began to have cold feet.2. Some are task oriented: we made some technical and management errors.

3. How to cure the above discouragements?1.1. Build a “trumpet system” as rallying points for better Build a “trumpet system” as rallying points for better

communication.communication.

2.2. Invest in serving and bonding with partners so they trust Invest in serving and bonding with partners so they trust us in our new ways.us in our new ways.