story that fits with our sucess or failure topic.

So, I'm at home now working on a speech for a public speaking class and I come across this story online. I think it fits so well with what we've been blogging. I hope you like it, I'm pretty sure you will...

(So i'm not sure if it fits totally for our situation, but there is some neat truths in there. Read it see what you think)


Pushing Against the Rock By: Author Unknown

There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had a 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. 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, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind such as; "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? etc."

Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.
These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of Prayer and 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 a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago 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, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back 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, TO PUSH AND TO EXERCISE YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN MY WISDOM. This you have done. I, my friend, I will now move the rock."

Progressing?

Success or Failure (how can we tell)

Leadership: How we get there is of little consequence. WE can be asked, smoozed, forced or our leadership just happened. WE will all be faced with the inevitable feeling we are not succeeding. We will look around and wonder where is the progress? Why aren’t they “getting it”? Whenever we are faced with the disappointment that we are not making the impact we had imagined we would make, we have look carefully and objectively at ourselves. Are we the cause of this perceived lack of success? Is my perception a reality? What needs to be adjusted?


Looking at ourselves:
When we look at ourselves: #1 Are we Growing in Christ. IF we are not growing in Christ we can’t lead others in growth can we? #2. Are we doing this to fulfill a need for purpose in our lives This one is painful at times. Sometimes it is as subtle as wanting to be needed, the need for public acclimation, (even among our peers). Maybe it is a subtle feeling that we are not valuable if we are doing this thing. Can we distinguish between Gods ministry and calling and ours? #3. We are not doing what we know to do. Either in our personal life or in the ministry function we are performing. (we are going 80- 90%) either not dealing with sin, not fulfilling our last mandate from the Lord. (including study, prayer time etc..) or are we not getting involved because we are afraid of being hurt. (well you will be hurt in leadership so just assume that is part of the package.)#4. Are we playing to our strengths? This simply means a tone deaf person will have a hard time leading worship. Our natural talents, callings and abilities may be a great place to start looking for successes. God seldom uses us in areas we are not equipped to be used in. (me in hospital ministry)

Preception:
Many times the perception is what needs to be adjusted. When dealing with a group we want ALL of them to get the passion we possess. We want them to run faster, go further, make greater commitments, and produce more than we can personally ever consider a reality for ourselves. Reality is; some will, some won’t, and most will meander at the pace of the average sheep. (or teen, congregation member etc…)

Their response cannot be our sole measure of success. The questions that has to be answered is are we being obedient to what we know to do NOW. If we look only at those around us we will quit because we are looking at the wrong things. (THEM not the task God has given us to accomplish). When looking for a valid perspective it is best to do this with someone who is HONEST, has good OVERALL VISION, and has your SAME DESIRES in view. Honest because they have to say ‘your messing up’ or equally painful to hear ‘pull your head out and look at reality’. Overall vision is needed because if they look only at the negative or positive they will not have accurate perspective on the problem. The result will be lopsided. And the same desires because they will need to look at things from your same goals (but from their point of view).

Being faithful is a process of doing over time. Being a flash in the pan anyone can do that. God has called us to be Faithful Followers. ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS. And probably as important (DO WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING TO MAKE PROGRESS TO THAT UNDEFINED NIRVANA IN OUR MINDS),

(two things in progress): 1. are you seeing progress in the group. 2. are you progressing in your leadership skills.

What needs to change:
Without going very deep into all the other obvious possibilities of self depreciation lets look at what we can do to fix issues. [self depreciation; saying untrue things about ourselves.. either good or evil] Let’s assume if we are not getting the results we want, and we have evaluated the above possibilities. Repented of our issues and done what we need to do. We have looked and the issue is not our perspective or perception, WE know the problem is not from the outside. (parents, pastors, music, time etc..) (all responsibility for the success of any venture lies in the leadership) When we look at all the basic things of character, and expectations and adjust our parts first, then we must look to the practical things to change.

This scary prospect means yesterdays successes are today’s building blocks for what we are going to do. Not forgetting what made success in the past but we hold to a line that says if it ain’t working chuck it. The central themes of Christianity must remain constant. The doctrines must remain pure. The dignity of Jesus and his message must be made evident but the how to communicate that is up for grabs. (yesterday is gone so what are we doing tomorrow)

Don’t be afraid to change things, processes are just a way of getting the results we intend. Styles have changed over the last 40 yrs and will continue to . (a blog was unheard of when I was a youth leader. ) Utube, myspace, blogs, email, texting, etc. use whatever is available to communicate the gospel to compel them from the highways and byways to bring them in to the marriage feast.

I have said over and over a mistake is not fatal it is a great learning tool. I started home groups about 4 years ago and they failed miserable. Now they are going, it was a good idea, but bad timing.. So we tried no one died and we go on. Learn from that and try things. What are the essentials of your ministry build toward your ultimate goal.

Remember our job is always to make a way for someone to come along behind and take whatever ministry we have, and move it further, faster and make greater strides than we are doing. Our job it to lay the groundwork for someone else’s success, and work ourselves out of a job.