Monday, February 28, 2011

I Will Move the Rock

Dear Reader,
This little story meant a lot to me when the 'rock' I had to move was grief. I hope you find it meaningful, too, for the 'rocks' in your life.  
ferree

I Will Move the Rock
by Cindy Lu

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, 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 by 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 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 by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, 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 sinewed 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."

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 it is still God who moves the mountains.

God, You call us to obedience everyday. Sometimes, I want to see beyond obedience. I want to know why, how and when. Yet, it is usually long after the obedience that I begin to realize what Your plan was back then. So help me just be obedient for today. I am learning, Lord that by being obedient today, I am stronger for tomorrow. In Jesus' Name, AMEN!

(found at: I Will Move the Rock)

4 comments:

  1. I read this recently on another site and was thinking of blogging it too. I did send it to a friend whose heart it really touched given her current circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a powerful message.Oh how often I have asked ' how long ' or 'why does nobody care?' I know people ace but Often I feel so alone.Thanks for sharing this.I will try to remember that I may not have to move the rock.
    Blessings,Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  3. this is so nice for today. Thank you. So often, both before and since, I think I know why I am asked to do something - the reason is obvious. Then the outcome is not as I expected, and I am lost, thinking that I failed, and feeling seriously irritated - why ask me to do something just to have it not manifest or "result" in anything? Making assumptions of god, and of my own guidance. ...I did not ask you to move it, I asked you to push, and you agreed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I need this message time and time again. So thank you all for commenting because it helps my perspective and to see the sort of muscular faith that God is building in hearts is pretty amazing. hugs, fbh

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I am not always able to reply but your remarks mean a lot to me and will appear as soon as possible.

Here are some tips for commenting:
Remember to click the Publish button when you are done.
Choosing the anonymous identity is easiest if you do not have your own blog.
Using a computer rather than a cell phone seems to work better. Thanks again!