Keep Pushing

Yesterday I walked into a gas station to pump gas in my car and there was a man in front of me clearly upset. He started cursing and yelling to himself when he realized "again" that he hadn't match any of the winning lottery numbers. I told him jokingly not to give up and to keep playing. As we walked outside, he told me that he had been playing the same numbers for the last 18 years and had not won yet........maybe he is not ready to win yet I thought! When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

I started thinking about this man. I don't know anything about his life from our very short meeting. All I know is that he wants to win the lottery and has been trying for quite a few years, but he thinks he has failed every time the numbers don't roll his way. Has he failed? He lives in the greatest country in the face of the earth. He probably has a job, a good family, has enough discretionary income to spend it every week buying lottery tickets, has a car......lucky man! I think he won the lottery of life just by being a U.S. citizen and having an opportunity to succeed here....if he wants to.

This leads me to the following story: A man was living inside a cave when suddenly he was awaken by a bright light. God spoke to him and gave him an assignment. He was to push a huge rock that was in front of the cave with all of his might. During the day, the man pushed and pushed the rock but it didn't move one inch. Tired and frustated, he would return each night to the cave feeling that he had failed. Days turned into months and months into years. He continued his attempt without success. Negative thoughts entered his mind. "He had failed. It was a trick. It was impossible to move the rock. He would do the minimum effort and relax the rest of the day."

Before deciding to quit, he prayed to God one last time asking for guidance. He told Him that he had labored as hard as he could for years but the rock hadn't move one centimeter. He had FAILED! God replied, "My dear friend. I gave you this assignment and you accepted. I also told you that your job was to PUSH the rock with all your strength. I never expected for you to MOVE the rock. Look at yourself right now. Your arms are chiseled. Your back is strong and tanned. Your hands are stronger than ever from the constant pressure and your legs are solid. Despite the adversity you have endured, you have grown and your abilities are greater now than when you started. It is true that you haven't moved the rock one inch, but your mission was to push and to have faith in me. Now my friend, I'LL MOVE THE ROCK!

How often we try to use our intellect to decipher His will in our lives? In reality, He is only asking us to have FAITH that we can move the mountain because at the end he will push it out of the way for us.

When everything seems to go wrong......PUSH!
When you are totally exhausted with work......PUSH!
When you have no money to pay your bills.....PUSH!
When you feel that you have been abandoned by everyone....PUSH!