When God Puts It on Your Heart: Remembering His Faithfulness

In Nehemiah 7, the wall is finished. The hard part seems over. But then Nehemiah says something that changes everything:

“Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy.” (Nehemiah 7:5)

After months of backbreaking work, Nehemiah could have rested. Instead, he listened. God wasn’t done—He was leading Nehemiah into the next phase of the story. The wall was built, but the people needed to be rebuilt. Worship needed to be restored. Faith needed to be renewed.

This little phrase—“God put it on my heart”—captures something every believer longs to experience: a life guided by God’s voice. It’s a reminder that God still leads His people. He still stirs hearts. But here’s the key: we recognize God’s leading best when we remember His faithfulness.

The Heart That Listens

Nehemiah could hear God’s prompting because he had already learned to trust God’s pattern. From the very beginning of the story, Nehemiah prayed, waited, planned, and worked—all in dependence on the Lord. So when God placed something new on his heart, Nehemiah recognized it.

Many of us want God to speak clearly—to write the plan in the sky or whisper the next step in our ear. But often, His leading comes through the quiet alignment of our hearts with His Word. As we walk closely with Him, what we desire begins to reflect what He desires.

That’s why time in Scripture and prayer isn’t optional for the Christian life—it’s how we tune our hearts to hear His. The more we know His character, the easier it is to recognize His call.

The Faith That Remembers

After Nehemiah obeys God’s prompting, the chapter takes what seems like an unexpected turn: a long list of names. The genealogy of 50,000 returned exiles might not seem exciting, but every name tells a story. Each one represents a person who came home because God kept His promise.

Those names are a monument to God’s faithfulness. They remind us that the God who spoke to Abraham, led Moses, and restored Israel is the same God who still speaks today.

We often forget that remembering is an act of faith. In seasons of uncertainty, it’s easy to ask, “God, where are You?” But Nehemiah 7 reminds us to look back before we look ahead—to remember the ways God has already come through.

When we recall how He’s answered before, we find courage to trust Him again.

The Faithful Heart

There’s a beautiful connection between listening and remembering. One keeps us open to what God wants to do next; the other anchors us in what He’s already done. If you want to walk closely with God, you need both—a heart that listens and a heart that remembers.

Maybe right now you’re in a season of waiting, wondering what God is doing or where He’s leading. Before you rush ahead, take a moment to remember. Write down how He’s answered prayer. Recount His blessings. Thank Him for what He’s already done.

Then ask Him to put something new on your heart—and trust that He will.

Because the same God who led Nehemiah to rebuild a city is still leading His people today. And just as He was faithful then, He’ll be faithful to you now.