My life's reflection through the Book of Nehemiah: BUILDING GOOD STRONGHOLDS (Part 1)

2 Cor 7:8 (AMPC)

.......you were pained into repentance [and so turned back to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that in nothing you might suffer loss...

Wow!  What a week!!! I know I promised you in my last post that I'd be continuing the next day but boy did I have to do some self-reflection, and lots of digging.  When God corrects, He does a good job - it truly is for my building up and the shaping of my character!!

I had to dig deep to truly understand and realize which walls have been erected in my life that are definitely NOT from God.
WHY?
Because: 
2 Cor 7:10 (Phillips Translation) "The sorrow which God uses means a change of heart and leads to salvation—it is the world’s sorrow that is such a deadly thing. You can look back now and see how the hand of God was in that sorrow."

What walls am I talking about?   
According to Wikipedia:
1. A wall comes from Latin vallum meaning "...an earthen wall or rampart set with palisades, a row or line of stakes, a wall, a rampart, fortification..." while the Latin word murus means a defensive stone wall.  
AND
2. A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare; and to solidify rule in a region during peacetime.  The term is derived from the Latin fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make").  
AND
3. A stronghold is a fortified place.

Hosea 8:14 
"For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;  so I will send fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds."

See your life as a city.  We make a habit of building "walls" around us to protect ourselves - to keep the "enemy" out but later on, our loved ones cannot even enter because the walls are so unbelievably thick that we cannot begin to imagine being allowed close to their hearts.  

I remember what a constant battle it was in the early years of my marriage: I could not (for the life of me) enter through the thick walls built around my husband's heart.  If ever I did something that could have just inclined towards "enemyship" I was completely shut out of his life and it took forever to win back his trust.  But I thank Father for starting and completing the good work in my husband and I have gained his trust and we're A-okay!!!

Join me tomorrow when I look at what those "walls" look like and how to replace it with good strongholds....

..... to be continued