Nehemiah 2:8 “…And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.” [NIV]
You have undoubtedly heard of the X factor. The dictionary defines it as “a variable in a situation that significantly impacts the outcome.” A whole music franchise was developed by Simon Cowell to determine which contestant possesses the X Factor. In sports, it refers to the player who carries the team to victory. I’m told online dating services use the X factor to designate “a very special personal quality.”
But I believe there’s an X factor far more potent. It has the power to turn impossible situations upside down. It shines light into the darkest of days. And it stirs us to take courage when desperation whispers, “Quit.”
So what is that underestimated variable? God’s grace. No matter how discouraged or defeated we feel, never leave the X factor of God’s grace out of the equation. Nehemiah certainly didn’t.
If anyone had reason to despair, it was Nehemiah. For seventy years, Jerusalem lay in the ruins of burnt gates and crumbled walls. Thousands of its inhabitants—-including Nehemiah—were exiled to Babylon. The once proud city had been reduced to a state of utter defenselessness and disgrace.
But Nehemiah didn’t despair. As cupbearer to the Persian king, he used his position to ask permission to return to Judah. What seemed impossible became a reality, not because of the king’s goodwill or Nehemiah’s persuasive powers. Nehemiah had cried out to God in prayer. When the king released him to go, Nehemiah knew it was due to one factor. One X factor: “the gracious hand of God.”
The book of Nehemiah records all the obstacles the returning exiles experienced in the rebuilding process. But Nehemiah continually credits God’s grace for their success. They certainly didn’t deserve it. But when has man’s undeserving plight ever stopped God?
Friend, never discount the X factor of God’s grace in your life. The God who loves you fiercely doesn’t want you to live under the shadow of destroyed walls and charred gates. Trust his grace to “significantly impact” your circumstance.