JUST PUSH
A man was sleeping at 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, just 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, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by
placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind: “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.
feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was
showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by
placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind: “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.
“Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll
just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good
enough.” And that is what 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 by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why
am I failing?”
just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good
enough.” And that is what 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 by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why
am I failing?”
The Lord responded compassionately, “My child, when 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, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that
really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinew
and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have
become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your
abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the
rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your
faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move
the rock.”
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, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that
really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinew
and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have
become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your
abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the
rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your
faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move
the rock.”
INSIGHTS
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. —
Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16