When you're trying to rebuild your life or recover from sin, expect that your efforts can be interrupted just as Israel's efforts to rebuild the temple. Following their captivity in Babylon, some Israelites returned to Jerusalem and set about rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed. It wasn't an easy task. As with most community projects, there are those who long for the good old days and how things were. So the grumbling began--starting with those who remembered the temple that had been destroyed. Then their neighbors wanted to help in order to keep an eye on what was happening. As can be expected, the discouragers started in--bribing officials and stonewalling the plans. Finally Israel gave up, but giving up was not in God's plan. Sometimes when you make a change in your life there will be those friends from the "good old days" who remind you of how much fun you had and there are those who are just watching, waiting for you to mess up and there are those who deliberately try to stall your progress. Remember, as God's messenger told Israel, God is with you, so keep building--don't give up..