I've been inspired!! Or have I simply had a revelation? Either way, it's a great thing because I have learnt something today. Inspiration cannot be created, we're either inspired or we're not. The freedom in my revelation today is that I no longer have to feel "uninspired" when I have little inspiration, if that makes any sense at all. I simply wait until I am inspired again and don't try to force anything.
Of course, there are those environments, people, places and songs that "inspire" me and I am aware of that and should as a result be placing myself within those environments and amongst those people but at the end of the day inspiration is something I don't have too much control over.
This is why I believe that inspiration and faith go hand in hand. By definition, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and being certain of what we do not see" Hebrews 11:1 I have Faith because I recognise my lack of control on this planet we call home. Inspiration is naturally one of those things most people hope for and most definitely something we cannot see, and so, our hope for inspiration is dependent on God from where all inspiration flows. From natural beauty, to kind people, beautiful art to soulful music, it is from God that all these things originated and so it follows naturally, that when we are inspired, we give glory to God. Call it Worship if you will.
I'd like to take this one step further, in Ecclesiastes we understand that our purpose in this life is to bring glory to our Lord and Saviour and obey His commandments. If "being inspired" is brining glory to God, it follows that, that which inspires us is that which gives us purpose. If something inspires us, we should therefore pursue it with unwavering passion. We plead of the Lord incessantly to show us what our purpose in life is, we seek our purpose and we even go so far as to conjure up our purpose to feel the sense of "purpose" when the simple truth is, "wait to be inspired" and then, grab whatever it is that has inspired you with both hands and allow the inspiration to drive you to do things you never thought possible.
Part of my revelation today was brought on by a TED talk by author of "Eat, Pray, Love", Elizabeth Gilbert. I have not read the book, I have not watched the movie and I do not know what it is about and therefore offer no commentary on the movie (because I know that some Christ followers have a fairly opinionated view of the movie). I also, do not subscribe to a pluralistic society and categorically state that I believe the one and only living God is Jesus Christ. However, I do urge "creative minds" out there to watch her presentation on TED simply because I believe many of us have fallen into that trap of believing that our best is past and not that our best is still to come. We live in perpetual fear of not making as much of our lives as we have already made. Many of us live in constant pursuit of "our purpose", seeking that inspiration and I believe that Gilbert's simple philosophy, "For just having the sheer human love and stubbornness to keep showing up" is how many of us will eventually attain those dreams we dream and finding the purpose we have been searching for.
If you know your work is your work but have not yet recognized exactly why, motivated by love for those around you on a day to day basis and by sheer tenacity, continue doing what you're doing, keep "showing up", be open to new experiences and new people, travel to new places and never say no to the opportunity to serve and you will be inspired and you will "find" purpose.
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2012
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Fame for resentment
We've all resented work we've done in the past... This subject of toil and labour is one that I have discussed in past blog entries. My interest, (bordering on passion) for why we work and our attitude towards our work has once again found expression through an interesting source.
I stumbled across this incredible site which has used 360 degree panoramic technology with high res photographs (not unlike gigipan technology) and at first I was just amazed at the site. The spectacle that lies before me on a computer screen is the Sistine Chapel and I am not for one moment claiming that this site in any way simulates the grandeur and pure ambiance that an observer in the Sistine Chapel would encounter, but having never witnessed it first hand, the site tweaked my interest.
Sistine Chapel
If ever someone has mentioned Sistine Chapel in the past, my poor performance in Std. 4 history does conjure up one image, and that is of a painter named Michelangelo lying on his back to paint narratives covering 1100 square meters of ceiling with the most intricate detail possible. What I didn't realise is that Michelangelo resented his commission, he believed his work only served the Pope's need for grandeur, (which in reality probably holds true, but that's a debate for another day). The point being, that something a man literally despised for it's motive, even while involved in conducting a passion, literally became his "crowning glory", one of the most defining accolades of who he is or should I say was, today.
It is not for us to question why we do what we do, so long as our passion is in it, so long as we acknowledge there is a purpose in it, perceived or not. Once again, I encourage everyone to work with all their hearts and remember that "it is good for a man to enjoy his toil under the sun". You never know what may become in the future, of what you think is trivial today.
I stumbled across this incredible site which has used 360 degree panoramic technology with high res photographs (not unlike gigipan technology) and at first I was just amazed at the site. The spectacle that lies before me on a computer screen is the Sistine Chapel and I am not for one moment claiming that this site in any way simulates the grandeur and pure ambiance that an observer in the Sistine Chapel would encounter, but having never witnessed it first hand, the site tweaked my interest.
Sistine Chapel
If ever someone has mentioned Sistine Chapel in the past, my poor performance in Std. 4 history does conjure up one image, and that is of a painter named Michelangelo lying on his back to paint narratives covering 1100 square meters of ceiling with the most intricate detail possible. What I didn't realise is that Michelangelo resented his commission, he believed his work only served the Pope's need for grandeur, (which in reality probably holds true, but that's a debate for another day). The point being, that something a man literally despised for it's motive, even while involved in conducting a passion, literally became his "crowning glory", one of the most defining accolades of who he is or should I say was, today.
It is not for us to question why we do what we do, so long as our passion is in it, so long as we acknowledge there is a purpose in it, perceived or not. Once again, I encourage everyone to work with all their hearts and remember that "it is good for a man to enjoy his toil under the sun". You never know what may become in the future, of what you think is trivial today.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Looking for more?
Everybody seems to be looking for more... no matter how much they already have. By this I don't only refer to material possessions but seeking the thrill, the adventure, the recognition, the fame... We all "need" more, a constant craving driving us. We search for it in various ways, relationships (or lack thereof), achievements in careers, reputations amongst our peers, chasing dreams that don't matter as much as our ultimate purpose does. Why do we never seem to reach what we're chasing? Why do other's lives always measure up "better" than our own?
Firstly, comparing our lives to others is never going to satisfy our lust for more unless we learn to compare with those who have less than we do rather than those whose lives (or aspects of) we envy and covet. Those we're comparing ourselves to, are ironically comparing their lives with our own too because they're not satisfied either and you can be assured that there are aspects of your life that they would rather have than their own too! It's time that we realise that we all occupy a unique niche', we all have a purpose to fulfil. When we read Ecclesiastes we see how this wise old man considered this late in his life too and he concludes throughout that we will not find it in money, we will not find it in relationships (no matter how intimate), we will not find it in sexual pleasures, not in entertainment or in any measure of recognition or fame or in any of our own accomplishments. No doubt these may bring some temporary measure of satisfaction and even happiness but it's not going to last. Until we find our satisfaction in our source of life and purpose, we will be "chasing after the wind".
It is only through a living saviour, through pure grace and forgiveness of this selfish searching, through Jesus Christ that we will begin to find some sort of lasting fulfilment within all of those secondary attempts at finding true happiness. We are loved, we are significantly important, we do have purpose in this life and a hope to live with every day, we need no more!!
Firstly, comparing our lives to others is never going to satisfy our lust for more unless we learn to compare with those who have less than we do rather than those whose lives (or aspects of) we envy and covet. Those we're comparing ourselves to, are ironically comparing their lives with our own too because they're not satisfied either and you can be assured that there are aspects of your life that they would rather have than their own too! It's time that we realise that we all occupy a unique niche', we all have a purpose to fulfil. When we read Ecclesiastes we see how this wise old man considered this late in his life too and he concludes throughout that we will not find it in money, we will not find it in relationships (no matter how intimate), we will not find it in sexual pleasures, not in entertainment or in any measure of recognition or fame or in any of our own accomplishments. No doubt these may bring some temporary measure of satisfaction and even happiness but it's not going to last. Until we find our satisfaction in our source of life and purpose, we will be "chasing after the wind".
It is only through a living saviour, through pure grace and forgiveness of this selfish searching, through Jesus Christ that we will begin to find some sort of lasting fulfilment within all of those secondary attempts at finding true happiness. We are loved, we are significantly important, we do have purpose in this life and a hope to live with every day, we need no more!!
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