In his study on Nehemiah, Max Lucado writes:
“Passionate prayer is generally prompted by a person’s passion to change a situation. In Nehemiah’s case, his prayers were birthed out of the sorrow he felt for the condition of his people—and he passionately interceded on their behalf. When presented with a painful situation, there are always two roads we can take. We can become bitter, give in to feelings of helplessness, or even blame God for the circumstances. Or we can choose to believe that God is in control, put the problem in his hands, and continue to trust that he is working for our good. Nehemiah chose the latter option—and then became an active participant in doing God’s will.”
Max Lucado, Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah: Lessons in Leadership (p. 66). HarperChristian Resources. Kindle Edition.