Push the Rock

By Susan Knight

I heard a very nice story on Sunday from our speaker in church. I'll see if I can paraphrase what he said.

There was a man who was asked by the Savior to give service. The man accepted the Savior's request wholeheartedly because he wanted to serve the Lord more than anything else.
The Savior showed him a large boulder and told the man his service would be to push against the rock with all his might.
The young man did as he was asked. He spent many hours pushing the rock, but it didn't move an inch. He toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulder set squarely against the huge, hard surface, pushing with all his might. After many weeks of trying to move the stone, the man became forlorn, thinking he was wasting his time. He wasn't strong enough.
Because he seemed discouraged, the adversary put negative thoughts in his mind, such as, "Why are you killing yourself trying to move this rock? What's the purpose? You should just give up."
The man began to believe the task was impossible and was sad, thinking he must be an unworthy servant. He couldn't move the massive stone.
He cried out, "Lord, you asked me to move this rock, but it is impossible. I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry. I failed you."
The Savior replied, "My son, I never asked you to move the rock. I only asked you to push it. When I asked you to serve Me, you accepted and have been an obedient servant. You have not failed. Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled; your back sinewed and brown. Your hands are calloused from constant pressure and your legs have become hard and strong."
The man learned, through opposition, he became stronger than he could have had he not pushed the rock. He was glad he served the Lord.
The Savior said, "I will move the rock."

I needed this lesson.
How many times have I been asked to give service and have passed the buck or declined? Yet, I know there are others who serve me and I am grateful for their service.
I need to be more diligent when I feel prompted by the Lord to serve someone. After all, He doesn't ask us to move the rock, only to push it. By proving our obedience, we not only become wise servants, but strong in our testimony.