Surrender comes before execution.

Many visions begin with a burden first. An aching you may feel for a certain group of people, a city, or community. You may not know the solution just yet, but you witness the problem and feel the weight of how it is affecting others. Does this feeling sound familiar to you? By definition, a burden is something carried physically or metaphorically, which is difficult to bear. This can include a heavy load, duty, or obligation.

Too often, we try to carry these visions without partnering with God. It’s one thing to ask Him for the strength to get the vision executed, but it’s another thing to truly partner with the One who gave you the vision in the first place. How beautiful it is to be able to carry a solution to problems in the world, AND be able to be governed through the birthing process. When we partner with God and surrender the vision back to Him, He does more than just give us the strength to execute. He leads, protects, provides, and so much more along the way. Now, I’m not saying sit back and kick your feet up, but know that you do not have to figure everything out alone.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It’s easy to assume that we have to hustle ourselves to death to be successful, but what if the Holy Spirit is calling you to rest for an hour, a day, or a season? If you’re not partnering with God, it will be easy to miss your instructions & the timing of them. In partnering also comes wisdom, the wisdom of who to connect with, which resources to utilize, and more.

Before Nehemiah began to execute the vision of seeing his city restored and building a solution, he first experienced the burden. Nehemiah 1:4 says that he sat down, wept, mourned, fasting, and praying before the God of Heaven. Wow, so powerful to see that he first SAT DOWN instead of jumping up and racing to find a solution. He didn’t jump straight into it, nor did he run from it. Rather, he went to God, fasted, interceded, repented, and then asked God for mercy in the sight of the king. Once it was time, his prayers came to pass, and Nehemiah was granted EVERYTHING he needed in order to get the wall built.

If you’re wondering why you may be stuck or how to make sure you’ve surrendered your vision back to God, Nehemiah chapter 1 carries strategy! Begin by releasing the vision & burdens back to God. Let Him know you cannot do this alone, nor do you desire to. In order to do this, you must sit down, fast, and intercede. Only the Holy Spirit can help you understand how long to do so. Whether it’s for one day or across various days, but don’t complicate it. Use the book of Nehemiah as a reference and encouragement to know that God will direct you. Vision is beautiful, but the execution process begins by first having the faith to surrender it back to God.

📖 James 2:20-22

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?