JUST PUSH...(JAJA...THANKS LARRY)

Everyday I am confronted by the fact that God is needed here in Mazatlan...and in ways that fill me with compassion for its people. They are so hungry for truth, love and Jesus. But there seems to be sooo much confusion, and ignorance and acceptance of lies and deceits and the twisting of God´s Word. Confusion and ignorance in the are of spiritual warfare...With in the very church that I am working... I have seen the abuse of the authority given by God to belittle the youth and impose guilt on them for sinless acts. This fills me with such frustration. Especially because I can´t speak up for myself or others who are powerless to do so for themselves solely because of the language barrier and lack of relationship between me and the church members. I am constantly asking God, "Why did you send me here?? I'm making no progress...no change... are my efforts in vain?? Am I working my self physically and spiritually for the sake of nothing??" I came here because God put a vision in my heart...and I assumed that it was to make changes...and feeling like those changes aren't happening has filled me with a false sense of failure...And has made me question daily...what my purpose here really is...

Almost daily I receive emails from a devoted friend in my church named Larry... Because of my limited Internet time, I put them all in a folder and read a few when I can... yesterday I read this one, it is almost a month old, but I think God was having me save it on purpose...

"A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light,and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to Push against the rock with all his might... So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup 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, Feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)! You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."
That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to The Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time,I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter.What is wrong? Why am I failing?" 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 of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.
But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much,and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

God showed me that I am the man in the story... Maybe I'm not here to change Mazatlan right now...maybe its here to change me!!!! Perhaps my being here is enough...and that when God is ready, HE will push this rock. What I do know is this... when I return to Washington... I will not be the same... I am not the same... Through all my labors and struggles God has strengthened me and has toned me... He is preparing me to do something that I have not seen yet... But at the very thought of this I can hardly contain myself!!!! Something big awaits me... all I can keep doing is JUST PUSH!!!!