The Man And the Rock
Mar 31, 2020 32273
What can we learn from the man and the rock? Here is a story about adversity, a story about faith, a story about you and me. The story about the man and the rock is just an illustration. But I am sure that after you have read it, you will be able to apply it to your life – perhaps straight away.
A story has been told of a time when the Lord told a man he had work for him to do. The Lord showed him a large rock in front of the man’s 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 months 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. 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. You are never going to be able to move it.”
These thoughts began to discourage and dishearten the man even more.
Amid battling discouragement, the man decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.
“Lord,” he said, “I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do what You have asked. Yet, I have not even budged that rock by half a centimetre after all this time. I am failing You.”
The Lord, the Man and the Rock
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 that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking you have failed. But is that really so?
Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and sturdy, 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, son, I did not ask you to move the rock. I simply asked you to push. It is my job to move the rock.“
So when God asks you to push, push. And if the rock doesn’t move, keep pushing. God will bring some good out of it. He is the only one who can.
That’s the story of the man and the rock.
I invite you to sign up for our daily email devotions here.
– Eliezer Gonzalez
Pay It Forward - Support Spreading the Good News - FAST!
Do you love this content?
We spread the Gospel every hour and minute of the day through this website. We are humbled to say that hundreds of readers and believers like yourself have decided that our work is important enough for them to support us financially.
We do not charge our visitors to read any of the content on this website, but we ask those of you who have been blessed and can stand with us to Pay It Forward to others.
When you Pay It Forward, you help spread the core message of Jesus to help others understand His essential teachings. You give hope and help them grasp the Gospel of faith, grace and freedom to change any person from the inside out.
Every gift, no matter what size, makes it possible for others to receive GOOD NEWS and experience it just like you have.
Support Good News Unlimited with as little as $1. Thank You!
George
Apr 5, 2020
A beautiful illustrations for a soul that needs daily renewal of faith...
David Hodge
Dec 15, 2019
In pondering the World’s account of creation, the one where the self-creating universe made me I started thinking of the statue of the Monkey. I decided I wanted a statue of the Man staring at the Rock. Maybe the man pushing the rock is better.
Nicole
Jun 3, 2019
Thank you for this restoration in my faith. Needed a reminder to just do what God asks and nothing more. Thank you and God Bless you.
Darlene Torry
Mar 19, 2018
Awesome!
God’s Friend
Jul 5, 2021
The author’s name is God’s Friend which really the is the first initial of his first and last name and doesn’t have a middle name. Written in 1999 while being an Inmate at N.K.S.P in Delano California cell 210 D Block where this cell which was covered in Bible verses and I mean very square inch bunks,ceiling also door, sink and toilet Correctional officer (Miss Mills) took notice and felt a peace she had never felt especially while working at a prison. Almost like being some place holy. He also would wash the feet of anyone who was housed in that cell 210 D Block. My first name is (who told the Virgin Mary she’d be giving birth to Jesus)? Last name is in the book of Acts 23:26 P.U.S.H = PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS