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 man did as the Lord told him, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down,

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 him.

"Why kill myself over this?" he thought.

"I'll just put in my time, giving the minimum effort and that will be 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 even 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."

 

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