What profit is there to the worker from that in which he
toils? I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to
occupy themselves. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also
set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which
God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing
better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; moreover,
that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor--it is the gift
of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing
to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear
Him. Ecclesiastes 3:9-14
Beginning the New Year there is a lesson we can all benefit
from. It is the fact that the circumstances
of life have no value in and of themselves.
All that we do with our time on life can end up without any real purpose
or value other than to fill our space and time on earth. Here are some principles we need to consider.
Circumstance w/o purpose produces weariness.
We do things for a variety of reasons. When we review those reasons we often find
that the majority of what we call "motivations"
are actually "coercions"or
external pressures. Listen to
people: “I have to…” I’ve gotta…” as
if they have no control over their lives.
The demands of life are exactly that until you decide whether you are
choosing to follow or merely acting on a internal or external command.
The word "toils"
in verse 9 speaks of the feeling many have toward life's circumstances. When growing up we sang the hymn "Toiling On." The chorus of the song repeated those words
over and over again. What a dreadful
sound! That will never bring people to
church.
Consider this:
When you lose your purpose you will lose your energy.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your peace.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your joy.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your life.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your energy.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your peace.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your joy.
When you lose your purpose you will lose your life.
Circumstance w/o purpose produces boredom.
Physical weariness is not nearly as depressing a mental weariness. If our heart is not involved we will have no
initiative...no life in our labor. We
are seeing young people busier than any other generation and yet twice as bored
with life. Excitement in life and
expectation of a great tomorrow are not the common experience of people without
purpose. We are still waiting for
someone else or something else to make us happy.
Circumstance w/o purpose produces emptiness.
"Unfulfilled"
is the key descriptive word for people in our world today. We have generated the capacity to get
anything we want and yet still can't get what we need. There are millions that come to the end of
life and still don't know why they lived it.
God has not made us without purpose. Each day we are strengthened and empowered in
His will for our lives. God has put
eternity in our hearts so we can do things today that will impact our forever!
Scripture to Claim:
I
know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to
it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:14
Ecclesiastes 3:14
