Blessings never come packaged as we expect

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As graduation day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and how much he loved him.

He handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with his name embossed in gold.

Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible behind.

Many years passed, and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old. He thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to him. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important documents and saw the Bible, new, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages.

His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11,”And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?”

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired.

On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss the blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

READ: Make 2018 the year of racing past your imagined hurdles

Trust the wait, embrace the uncertainty, enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.

Find purpose for your life

1. The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced: When you gather courage to face the challenges and experience the darkness, magic happens in life.

2. Ride through the randomness: Life is a roller coaster ride; no amount of preparation can lead you to experience the surprises life throws at you, just be open and adjust to the randomness.

3. Curiosity keeps leading to new paths: When you replace fear of the unknown with passionate curiosity, you fuel the engine of achievement.

4. Look beyond the chaos: Everything happens for a reason, don’t focus too much on the chaos, instead look for the purpose.

5. Embrace your imperfections: You are not who you are, if not for your imperfections. Transformation can happen only when you accept your imperfection and accept your insecurities.