Getting PUSH-y with God

We even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Rom. 5:3).

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God 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.

So this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown, 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.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture and place negative thoughts into the weary man’s mind: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved.”

Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to 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 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 of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention 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 shiny 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. True, 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. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

Even when the outcome doesn't look promising, we can't ever go wrong by being obedient to the Lord. Are we humble enough to accept a task that seems by human standards to be menial? Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Mt. 5:5). I find this Beatitude to be one of the most difficult to live. As a project manager, I'm accustomed to being the one making the plan and managing the work. But even within that paradigm, the Scriptures remind me that even as a manager, I am called to be a servant to those in my purview. Ultimately, there is another Manager to Whom I must answer... Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master' (Jn. 15:20).

Being called to be a friend and servant of the Lord is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, but it comes with a responsibility to go and bear fruit that will remain (Jn. 15:16). If we view an orchard, we don't typically see all the work that goes into the growing process, just the results. But ask any farmer and he will tell you that a good harvest requires tools both large and small. Faith teaches me that it does not matter if I am one of the big tools or one of the small ones, as long as I am a tool in His hands.

Prayer Request: For the gift of humility to accept any task the Lord gives us, no matter how great or small.

Prayer: O Lord, our God, thank You for calling us to be Your servants and friends. Help us to remain pliable in Your hands, knowing that no task is beneath us when we are working for the Kingdom. Forgive us when we fail to trust You and rail against work that seems insignificant or too difficult for us to accomplish, and help us to remember that our real task is to be faithful to Your call. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.