Day 13: A Heart That Can’t Look Away
Scripture: Nehemiah 1:3-4
“They said to me, ‘The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.’ When I heard this news, I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Sometimes God’s call begins as a burden that won’t let you go. It’s not just noticing a need—it’s feeling it in your soul until doing nothing is no longer an option.
Nehemiah was living a comfortable life in the Persian royal court when news came from Jerusalem. The walls were broken, the gates burned, the people vulnerable.
He could have dismissed it—after all, it wasn’t his immediate problem. But he couldn’t. The burden gripped him. He wept. He prayed. And eventually, he acted.
Purpose often begins with awareness. Awareness leads to a feeling. That feeling is often accompanied by heartbreak. And that heartbreak, when brought to God in prayer, becomes fuel for action.
Nehemiah’s compassion moved him from the comfort of the palace to the rubble of Jerusalem, and God used him to rebuild what was broken.
When God gets your attention—and the strong feelings inside won’t let you go—move in the direction of the burden you feel. That may be the direction of your purpose.
Centering Prayer
God,
Break my heart for what breaks Yours.
Don’t let me look away from the needs You’ve placed before me.
Turn my compassion into action and my prayers into courage. Amen.
Practice for Today
Pay attention to what stirs you deeply—whether grief, anger, or compassion. Ask God:
“Is this a burden You’re calling me to carry into action?”
Journaling Prompt
What need or injustice do I find impossible to ignore?
How could God use this burden to guide me toward my purpose?
Closing Blessing
Let your heart be moved.
Know that what moves you may be a message from God.
Don’t turn away from the broken places.
Carry your burden to God, then rise to act.
Your compassion may be the first stone in someone else’s rebuilding.
Pray as You Go
Inhale: Is the burden I feel…
Exhale: …Your purpose for me?