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Pushing Against The Rock
There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his
room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he
had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin.
The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his
might. This the man did, day after day.
For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely
against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all
his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out,
feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to
enter the picture, placing thoughts into the man's mind such as: "You have
been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged. Why
kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it."
Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he
was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more.
"Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving
just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned
to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his
troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord" he said, "I have labored long and
hard
in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet,
after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter.What
is wrong? Why am I failing?"
To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago
I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was
to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done.
Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task
was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you
have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are
strapping and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are strong and
callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become sturdy and hard.
Through opposition you have grown stout and your abilities now surpass the
condition you were in before. "No, you haven't moved the rock. But your
calling was to be obedient and to push, exercising your faith and trust in My
wisdom. Now you are strong and prepared for many new assignments and, as for
the rock, I will move it for you."
 
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