“How did you know where to dig? Did you have any doubts at ten feet? At twenty?� Look into the heart and soul of every living being and there is undoubtedly a potential spring there. That is where we dig. Doubts? Of course! We look at the thickness and hardness of the walls of the heart and the pile of rubble that we’ve unearthed already and we have to wonder… how much deeper? To what depths do we go? As deep as it takes. There will be parts of the heart and soul that are seemingly impenetrable—so dense with fear and insecurities and so hard from the wounds and scars of our past. There will be cave-ins too—emotions and character so fragile after years of neglect. But it’s there. I know it is. It was there within me. Someone took the time and effort to help unearth that spring within my heart and soul. How could I imagine not doing the same?
However, I could also imagine how frustrating it must’ve been for Moses with all the blood, sweat, and tears that he had invested in, only to hear all the grumbling and complaining as well as seeing so little progress being made. In fact, I don’t have to imagine at all. As leaders, none of us do. And I think that’s why it’s important for us to remind ourselves why we do what we do. Even if we earnestly and sincerely strike the rock or speak to it for the sake of our flock, at some point, they will undoubtedly disappoint us. I don’t think that’s skepticism. It’s reality. But that reality is extremely difficult to endure. And I think that’s one of the reasons why God wants us to do what we do to honor HIM. Unlike our flock, He will never disappoint us. When we are chiseling away at the hardness of our hearts and souls and we are confronted by the numerous cave-ins, when our inspiration and motivation to lead go beyond our flock and even ourselves, and onto God, I think it is then, that we are able to say, it is well… with my soul.
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