A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly he heard the voice of the Lord telling him He had work for him to do. He was then shown a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day. For many days he toiled from sun up to sun down pushing. Having his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock he worked hard pushing with all of 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 (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary 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." Late in the evening, after listening to the enemy long enough, the weary man made up his mind to do just that...the minimum. Before went to sleep that night, being an honest man, he decided to talk to the Lord about this endless, worthless task of pushing the rock.
"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 your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength. Did I tell 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 sinewy and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, 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, to push, to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."
- Author Unknown
