Dealing with Negativity in Church: Lessons from Sanballat in Nehemiah

 

Nehemiah 4:1 (GNT)

When Sanballat heard that we Jews had begun rebuilding the wall, he became furious and began to ridicule us.

Being a church worker for some time now, I have observed some troubling things among Christians that should not be, yet they exist.

You remember in the book of Job when the sons of God gathered, and the devil also came along. In the same way, whenever children of God gather, the children of the devil are also present in some form.

However, not everyone who displays negativity is a child of the devil. Some have simply not been nurtured or trained to properly discern between good and evil. Others have not renewed their minds with the Word, and as a result, they still exhibit worldly character even while serving in church.

If you find yourself exhibiting any of the attitudes discussed here, take it as an opportunity to reflect and seek God for transformation.

There are people in the church today who play the role of Sanballat. Some are aware of what they are doing, while others are not fully conscious of it.

There is a group of people in church who are not very interested in the work of God. They often claim they do not have “time” to dedicate to the work. Yet, when they see someone else giving their time wholeheartedly to the work, they become uncomfortable or even angry.

This reaction often comes from the fact that they see such individuals beginning to gain influence and recognition from leadership. Naturally, when someone works diligently and consistently, they tend to be noticed by those in authority. This is a principle in life that cannot be ignored.

Because of this, some people feel threatened by the growing visibility or influence of others. Since they are not willing to engage in the work themselves, they also resist seeing others progress in it.

This attitude can become stronger when the person involved is placed in a leadership position. At that point, such individuals may begin to spread various things about them—sometimes truths taken out of context, other times outright falsehoods.

They may gossip, criticize, and say all kinds of things with the intention of discouraging the person from giving their best to the work.

Their goal is often to draw your attention away from your assignment and redirect it toward them. If you are not careful, you may fall into that trap. Remain focused.

If a brother or sister is honored for their work, it irritates them. If the person is given a position, it bothers them. If the person speaks, it offends them. Eventually, almost everything about that person becomes a source of irritation.

If you have not encountered such individuals yet, you likely will. And if you recognize these tendencies in yourself, then it is a call to repentance and renewal.