When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV)
At the news of the disgrace of his people and the terrible situation of his country, Nehemiah felt so deeply concerned that he wept and lamented for days. He kept crying and complaining. Inconsolable and helpless, he sought the Lord's help in prayer and fasting.
These days we tend to fast and pray only when things get tough for us or a family member, but when it's our country, our neighborhood, our employer or even our congregation that is going through tough times, we don't even think about prayer. It does not concern us because it is not our problem.
Nehemiah gives us an example to follow, he did not take the situation of his people and his country lightly. We too, depending on the situation of our environment (as mentioned above), must make prayer and fasting a burden before God until He answers us. Sometimes the best way to support others is to forget ourselves, pray and fast for them, because in the end we will also benefit from the results.
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