Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Brawny Muscles

As I flex my growing SPIRITUAL muscles, I notice how they are becoming more sinewy, brawny, burly, rugged and athletic. My new strength reminds me of this popular inspiring story among us 12-steppers:

A man was sleeping when suddenly his room filled with light and Jesus appeared.
The Lord told the man He had a great work for him to do and showed him
 a large rock in front of his cabin. He explained that the man was to push
 against the rock with all his might. So the man did faithfully, day after day.
 For months 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 discouraged
Satan lied saying, "You have been pushing for a long time and it
hasn't budged. Why kill yourself? Your Lord is playing a cruel joke on
you!"
After weeks of hearing such lies, the man became disheartened as

he started to believe the task was impossible and that he was a failure.
"This is stupid!" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, give the minimum
and do just enough to get by."
One day he decided to pray. "Lord, I
have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to
do that which you have asked. Yet, I have not even budged that rock.
Why am I failing and, more importantly, why have You failed me?"

The Lord responded tenderly, "My son, when I called you to follow Me
I also promised to do what is best for your life and you said you would
trust Me. So I told you to simply push against the rock. Not once did I
tell or expect you to move it. And now you come to Me thinking that you
have failed. But, is that so? Look how you have grown. Your arms are
strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your legs have
become massive and hard, your heart humble and disciplined, and your
mind focused and purposed. Through opposition you have grown and
matured. True, you have not moved the rock. But your calling was to
obediently push and to faithfully trust in My wisdom. This you have
done. Rest my son, as I will now move the rock."


I have been pushing on my rock for 30 years. I've kicked it, put my back into it, had others try to help me with it, cried on it but ....NO GO.
I gave it EVERY thing I had until I had nothing left to push with. Even then I pushed.
Recently my rock  has begun to roll.
It's a miracle--Thanks be to God.
~Daisy 

"Therefore, dearly beloved [sisters], let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." --D&C 123:17


2 comments:

  1. That is a neat story..puts things into perspective, thank you for sharing it!

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  2. Thank you for this!!! JUST what I needed to hear!

    ReplyDelete