So, my sweet husband suggests to me that we should write an ebook sharing how we've survived and maybe even thrived through this season of life we have been in for the past few years. My first thought was, "who would read it?". My next was, "shouldn't we wait until we get out of this season of life?". Then suddenly I heard God clearly speaking in my heart. "What if this is THE season of life? What if I want you to be here for awhile to serve my purpose?
A trusted counselor told me recently that she believes when God is trying to get our attention about something, He isn't subtle or secretive. He wants what's best for us and wants us to grow. So He's not going to keep secret the things we need to work on.
I've seen that recently in dealing with a personal struggle. I kept finding myself in situations in which this struggle would become prevalent. Then I would hear a sermon or a book about the issue, I finally came to realize that God wants me to work on this issue, so I am reading this book, and I am seeing a change in my ability to deal with this situation.
So, when it felt like God might be telling me that we're going to be in this situation a while longer, I took a deep breath and tried to brace myself. Sure enough within just a few days, a friend posted the following on her Facebook page:
A man was sleeping at 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 sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, 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, giving 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 he planned to do, but 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 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 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 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.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. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves mountains.
So I guess what God is calling us to do right now is PUSH. Looking forward to those strong muscles.
