Nehemiah's Answer

Nehemiah 2:2-5 (NLT)

2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”

Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”
With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

In chapter 1, Nehemiah ended his prayer by requesting of the Lord, "Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me." It was 4-5 months later when that petition was answered and the king inquired about Nehemiah's sad countenance. Still, he was thoughtful of the Jews in Jerusalem. Still, he was waiting for the Lord to answer. He had not dismissed the situation. It was still fresh to him. He owned it.
I will be very truthful with you...at this moment it is hard to decide which path to take for application. I can give our hands a spiritual swat for dismissing things and not sticking with them until they are prayed through. Or I can say (and I believe this is what our Lord has for us today) that God still sees the matter of your heart. He sees the concern on your face even when you are able to hide it from others. He is right there with you when you are alone and you let the tears flow freely. Continue to ask Him for favor. Ask Him to make a Nehemiah out of you. There is hope!