God is after your heart, not your performance.
Let me start today with a story my father used to tell:
There was once a man who lived beside a massive rock. One day, he heard God speak clearly: “Would you push against this rock, day and night?”
Overjoyed at receiving such a direct and unusual assignment from the Lord, the man got to work. He pushed against the rock with all his might, day and night, full of expectation for what God might do.
His neighbours noticed this unusual sight, and what started as innocent curiosity into his motives for pushing a rock to no avail, ended with them mockingly asking, “Why are you still pushing? The rock hasn’t moved an inch. What’s the point?”
Eventually, discouragement crept in. The man cried out to God, “Why did You give me such a meaningless task? Why hasn’t the rock moved?”
God replied, “I didn’t ask you to move the rock; I asked you to push it. My purpose was not for the rock to move, but for Your strength to increase. Look at how strong you’ve become!”
This story reminds me of the parable of The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
Because in that story, when the master returns to his servants, his reaction isn’t based on the results his servants achieved (or the lack of it). No, he praises their faithfulness and reprimands their laziness (Matthew 25:21 and 26).
It is not the outcome He is focused on, but the attitude of their hearts, displayed by their actions.
The servant who got thrown out did not fail; he did not even try. He wasn’t willing to do the simplest of all things for his master: walk to the bank and deposit the money.
God is after your heart, not your performance
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. – 2 Chronicles 16:9
Do you feel like you’ve been pushing, but your “rock” hasn’t moved yet? Remember, God sees your faithfulness!
