A Powerful Story

Recently, I stumbled upon a powerful story.

One night a man is sleeping in his room when suddenly his room is filled with light, and God appears. God tells the man he has a work for him to do. God shows him a large rock outside his house. God asks the man to push against the rock with all his strength. The man obeys thus he does it day after day.

For many years the man toils from sunrise to sunset. He pushes and pushes but the massive rock seems to be immovable. Each night the man returns to his room sore and worn out feeling that his whole day has been spent in vain.

Now, knowing that the man begins to feel discouraged, Satan decides to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s tired mind. "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved. It is actually an impossible task. Why kills yourself over it? Just give your minimum effort and it will be enough."

The man ponders upon those thoughts and plans to do just that as he is feeling very tired. But to his credit he decides to talk to God about it.

The man prays, “God, 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 moved that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

Then God replies, “My son, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

You think that you have failed. But is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled 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.

It is true that you haven't moved the rock. But your calling is to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. And now that you have done this, I will move the rock."

Indeed, there are times in our lives where we keep praying over the same thing again and again over a long period of time. After awhile we wonder if we have been praying in vain.

During that time Satan would tempt us to give up praying.
And it is exactly during that time that we must choose to trust in God’s wisdom.
God asks to pray.
Thus we will keep praying.
God asks us to pray with faith and persistence.
Thus we will keep praying with faith and persistence.

We must choose obedience.
We must choose faith in God’s wisdom.
We must choose faith in God’s timing in moving the rock.