Seeking over Striving

i am a firm believer
that hard work
is not about striving
for arbitrary success
but about seeking
opportunities
to proactively contribute
towards a future
of thought leadership
and positive action
that is as much
human-centric
as it is data-driven 


the lie we have all been sold
is that our lives are about us;
our success,
our purpose,
our decisions.

it would be so,
if we lived in worlds
of our own making,
worlds of us as
the main character,
worlds of us in control
of our own certainty,
security and destiny.


however,
our world reveals
to us the truth:
we are more
connected
and dependant
than we ever
dare imagine.

we are not designed
for separation from soil,
divisions that lead to “us and them”,
isolation that deprives us
of being seen and seeing,
being known and knowing,
being loved and loving
(the pillars of all of our relationships).

we are not made
to fight against,
but to fight for,
each other.

we are not made
to be alone,
sentenced to a life
of striving
for something or someone
in the hope
that we will feel
less alone.

we are made
to work and walk together,
invited into a life of seeking.

but
what
do we
seek?

If you seek,
you will find.

(see luke 11:9)

but you will find,
where you seek.

what
do we
seek?

where
do we
seek?

for where
your treasure is
where you desire is
where your seeking is
there your heart
will lead.

(see matthew 6:21)

so how
do we know
if our seeking
will lead
to finding
?

our greatest fears
will reveal
our truest
heart’s desires:

what are we living for?
what are we striving for?


when we ask
this question
at a macro scale,
we start to see
that the answers
we have always
been seeking
about our purpose
are not found
in our own stories
or successes.

our micro journeys
are woven into the fabric
of a much larger story than us.

once we start to see
that there are many
who are like us –
that is, human;
a life with stories
and a soul
of their own –
we start to see
that we are made
for each other,
and more,
that we are made
to take care
of this world,
created and creation,
and more,
that we are made,
for what is beyond this world,
our Creator.


the deeper you look
at your fears,
your success,
your stories,
your relationships,
you will see
a divine invitation:
to live for more
than the things of this world,
more than that
which can be
defined, rationalised,
sold, destroyed.

there is a divine invitation
into a purpose
much greater
than your own.

there is a divine invitation
to see how your story matters,
and how other’s stories matter,
in the eternal narrative of humanity.


the bridges of the future
are not between
technology and humanity;
we must learn
to connect and direct
our analytic curiosity
to being both
responsible and resourceful
in all spheres of interaction
with technology and humanity:
environmentally, economically, ethically,
emotionally, spiritually, romantically, physically, etc. 


for what truly matters,
beyond wars, and governments,
and science, and technology,
and success, and power
– is love.

love is the invitation,
the opportunity, the key
to unlocking humanity.

love is the only thing
in this world
that can’t be hacked.

we can turn love into a game,
but perfect love drives out fear.
(see 1 john 4:18)

perfect love digs deeper,
to the core of humanity,
to our very souls.

our souls
are the only thing
that lasts
when our stories end


(a legacy or digital identity will never last)

our souls
are what matter most.

our souls
are what knock
on our hearts and minds
in our conflicts of consciousness,
our hours of desperation and deliberation
over decisions that won’t matter
when our stories end.

our souls
are what respond
when love speaks truth
to our fears, hearts, and minds. 

our souls
follow
what we
believe.

while
our hearts and minds
can be deceived

our souls live
because of what
is believed


do you believe
life is more about
seeking than striving?

do you believe
there is more
than what you have seen,
where you have been,
and where you are going?

does a part of you agree
that your purpose
is not a siloed, solo life sentence;
but a purpose shared
with every other soul.

a purpose-driven life
is not about striving
for an fantasised life plan,
a defined career path,
marriage, kids, wealth, a home, holidays
(name your life goals and desires)

a purpose-driven life
is about seeking
for the One
whom has given
our souls LIFE
(see john 3:16)
the One
whom our souls LOVE
(see song of songs 3:1-4)

a purpose-driven life
is a pursuit of that
divine, eternal invitation

a relentless pursuit,
of the One
who relentlessly pursues us.

a divine, eternal invitation
to knock, and receive

“so i say to you:
ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door
will be opened to you.”

(jesus in luke 11:9)

a divine, eternal invitation
to draw near
that the Lover of our souls
may draw nearer
(see james 4:8)
that we may experience
the fullness of LIFE
(see john 10:10)

in proximity
to our Pursuer
and
in partnership
with our Pursuer’s purpose
for every soul


on souls: psalm 84:2, 121:7, proverbs 11:30

on seeking: acts 17:27, hebrews 11:6, 1 chronicles 22:19

Respond from the Heart