"God Calls us to be faithful, not successful."

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

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Evil One 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." The thoughts that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, discouraged and disheartened him.0 "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving a minimum effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do but decided to make it a matter of prayer. "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. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, 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. Consider the results: your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have great strength. Through opposition you have grown and you surpass your former abilities . You haven't moved the rock but your calling was to be obedient and to push, to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

"I, my friend, will move the rock."

Author Unknown

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