The Man and the Rock

“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.”
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. Yet the rock hasn’t moved.”

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I heard this story for the first time when I was in the Philippines. It’s inspired me since so I had to make an illustration. 🙂
-Josh

Josh Nelson

Josh is an illustrator, concept artist, and HUGE proponent of inspirational/motivational content. His goal with his art is to inspire and uplift anyone who stumbles upon it.