The Mystery of Purpose

Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?" -George Bernard Shaw

That was the moment that changed his life! Michael would never be the same again. That Sunday morning in church, Michael had a revelation. The preacher, Father Robert was talking about the purpose of our life. He said that unless and until we find out why we are here, we will never be happy. "God made us for a reason," he said, "and we have to find that reason." This was the solution that Michael had been waiting for. Now he was out on a mission to find his purpose. After three years, Michael still had not found it. The question on his mind was, "Where should I start to look for it and how will I know that something is my purpose?" In this perplexed state, he decided to go back to Father Robert.

The preacher told him to ask God for his purpose and that God would show him the way. So that night, Michael knelt beside his bed and prayed like he never prayed before. His heart was breaking! He truly wanted to be happy. That night, after the intense prayer, he cried himself to sleep. In his dream Michael met God, and God showed him a beautiful painting and then the vision vanished. When Michael woke up, the painting was crystal clear in his mind.

When he looked to the stool next to his bed he could see a paintbrush and some colors of paint. They were the exact colors that he saw in the painting. Michael now knew that he had to find this painting even if it will take his whole life to find it. So he started on his quest. He went to Europe first and there went to all the art galleries and was asking the curators whether they had a painting that used these exact colors. The curators at all the art galleries in Europe shook their heads. He then went off to other parts of the world to find this wonderful painting. He was on a mission to find this painting even if he died finding it.

After many years, he was already beginning to feel dejected as though God had fooled him. He stopped praying and continued trying to find the painting. He died in an art gallery in Russia while trying to find that painting of his dreams. When he died, he felt himself rising and could see his body on the floor. Suddenly everything became pitch black and he could hear a voice say, "Son, what happened to you? I gave you all that you needed."

"You didn't give me what I needed to find that perfect painting. I couldn't explain the painting to the curators. All that I had was the lousy colors you gave me and that didn't help me to find the painting."

"That's where you made the mistake my son. The painting that I gave you in your dream was not for you to find, but for you to create."

That struck him hard! "I was meant to create it, not find it. My whole life I was out to find it." In death, he had found out the biggest kept secret in life. You are not meant to find your purpose; you are here to create your purpose.

Can you imagine Michelangelo going around the world to find the David? He had to create it. Could you imagine Leonardo Da Vinci going around the world to find the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? He had to create it.

I was reading this book called Creation by Gore Vidal. It is an amazing book based on the historical times of the Persian Wars. The amazing thing about the book is that it incorporates so many historical characters such as Confucius, Buddha, Zoroaster and Socrates in one book. When the author was asked how he came up with such an idea he said, "I was always looking for a book that would have the Buddha, Confucius, and Socrates. I couldn't find it, so I decided to write it myself." When I read that it struck me hard! There are two kinds of people in this world: 1) the people who wait for something to happen, and 2) the people who go ahead and make it happen. Which one are you? Are you so busy trying to find your purpose that you aren't going to create one for yourself? Don't get caught in this trap. The true secret of the purpose of life is this: It is your duty to create your purpose not look for it.

Sukhbir Singh is the creator of lifeApps! Personal Development International.

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