One day, God told a man, “Go push that mountain.” Because this man wanted to please the Lord and obey what He had said, everyday this man went and pushed the side of the mountain. Everyday the result was the same, the rock would be unmoved but the man continued as the Lord had commanded. One day, Satan came along, “Why are you pushing this mountain? You are but a measly man, how can you make a difference in pushing this mountain?” The man, discouraged, went to the Lord and lamented that he felt like all of his work pushing this mountain was in vain. In a gentle voice the Lord responded, “Your work has not been in vain, look at how strong you are. I did not ask you to move the mountain, I just asked to you to push. In faith you did what I asked each day. I have grown you and now come rest in my arms and watch as I move the mountain for you.”
Each morning, my class has devotions. The story we have been studying this week is the story of the mustard seed growing into the largest tree in the garden from Matthew. I made an activity sheet for my students that said “Con fe como un semilla de mostaza, tu puedes hacer grandes cosas con DIOS!” With faith like a mustard seed, you can do great things with GOD! As I glued mustard seeds to each worksheet (thank you Anna :) ), I asked the students “With faith this size, what can you do?” Move mountains! “Who do you need to do that?” DIOS! What a great lesson I was teaching my students, but was I really living it?
Today, throughout the day, I felt very discouraged. I felt as though all of this that I was pouring into my students was not good enough and that it was not impacting their life at all. I felt like I was trying to do the impossible (the things as simple as teaching my students to walk in a straight line, let alone the complex and profound). I came home feeling defeated, wanting to just make a quick dinner and go to sleep early. Instead, Frai and I started talking. I shared briefly how I was I feeling and the above story was her response. She did not know what I was teaching in devotions, she had just read this story today and wanted to share it as an encouragement.
What a Big God we serve that He would orchestrate all of this to teach such a powerful lesson. Even though I feel as though I am pushing and pushing with no result, God is working. I just need to do in faith what he has asked me to do (love and teach my students). He is the one growing and shaping me as I struggle each day, and in the end He is the one who will move the mountains. Even the ones that are WAY too big for me to even imagine moving.
I just want to encourage you, where ever you are at, what ever God has asked you to do. Even though there are days that you feel like you are pushing and pushing and getting no where, God sees your faithfulness. He is making you stronger through the process and ultimately, He is the only one who can and will move that mountain. All we have to do is be faithful, rest in his arms, and watch as he does the impossible.
