An Exercise In Faith

Sometimes, when things seem like they are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place – according to God’s perfect will, plan, and love for you.

A man was sleeping in his cabin one night, 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 was 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 pushed 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 and disheartened the man. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the least effort and that will be good 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 God. “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 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 the case?

Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy 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.

True, you haven’t moved the rock, but I didn’t tell you to move it. I simply invited you to push against the rock. When you obeyed my instruction, you not only exercised your muscles, but you also exercised your faith, and learned to trust in My wisdom. Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” (cf. Luke 19:11-27)

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One summer at a youth camp, my sponsor/pastor asked the kids a trick question: “Who parted the Red Sea?”

Naturally, the response was, “MOSES!”

Those of us who are familiar with the story of the rescue of God’s people from slavery in Egypt, understand that it wasn’t Moses who parted the sea. God parted the sea because Moses trusted God and did what God told him to do. (See Exodus 14)

How many times have we been caught up in an overwhelming situation and cried out to God? How many times have we done what He told us to do — in faith and without question?

Every time we fail to unquestionably follow what God tells us directly to do, we end up drowning in a sea of sorrow and disappointment. (cf. Matthew 14:22-33)

There are times when we hear from God, that we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants. In all truth, all God really wants is for us to trust in Him and follow His advice. So, by all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.