Here is an email I received from "Charlene Cares" an organization dedicated to standers. It seemed so appropriate for what most of us go through....<p> LOSE THE MEASURING TAPE<p>A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled
with light and the Savior 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. This the man did, day after day.<p>For many years 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 showing signs of discouragement, the adversary
decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary
mind: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and
it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going
to move it."<p>Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and
that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened
the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in
my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."
And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it
a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.<p>"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?" <p>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 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 sinewy and
brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs
have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much
and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet 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. This you have
done. I, my friend, will now move the rock."<p>Often when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect
to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple
obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that
moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the
mountains. (Author Unknown-thought to be in the public domain.)<p>If you are standing firm, you are making progress, even if you do not
see that rock moving. Every day Bob and I hear from three types of
standers. First, there are those who are tired of pushing. We also
receives messages from those who have grown strong in their spiritual
lives by pushing and standing. Third, we hear from those for whom the
rock was suddenly moved. Today, don't attempt to measure how much the
rock has moved. You assignment from God (not us) is to stand and
push! He will move everything that makes your marriage "rocky."<p> "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God.
you will receive what he has promised" Hebrews 10:36<p>Push on this Sunday,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries
PO Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061
http://rejoiceministries.org<p>
For me, I kkep posting on these boards, reading, learning, praying, working on me while in plan A. I do beleive that if I remain faithful to first of all God and secondly to my WH, I do believe that God will move the rock. I also believe that it takes action on my part-"pushing on the rock (plan A)<p>Any thoughts?<p> [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]
