All of us have restless hearts. There is something in us that is never really satisfied, never content. We want more………..more of what?
This is where Solomon reveals to us his frustrations. He had everything in life, yet he realized he had “nothing”. At least anything that really made a difference. Because he was king, he could try everything in life his heart desired. And after having searched the same places we search……intellectual pursuits, pleasure, social and material achievement…..he concluded that there was no real satisfaction to be found in any of them.
So he decided to conduct an experiment (Ecclesiastes 1:12-15) Wisdom Is Meaningless” I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.”
Solomon begins his experiment by revealing his conclusion first; “wisdom is meaningless.” He then continues by commenting on what may be observed in nature. Finally he determines that all of us are restless and unsatisfied. But he attributes this to God. In other words, God has put within man this restless spirit. He calls it a “heavy burden”.
However, with this restless spirit, most of us seek human or secular wisdom. The “heavy burden” is man’s searching for happiness but without God. It is an inevitable result of living without God as the focus of one’s life. It was true for Solomon and it is true for us. Everything we do is pointless in itself. It goes nowhere…..like chasing after the wind. Deep inside we know there is more, but we cannot grasp it. The “it” evades us. That is life without God.
He also adds; “what is crooked cannot be straightened.” There are many things we cannot change. Life has many flaws, it always will….that is the bad news. Even the best things in life have defects.
The good news is that they do not have to affect your inner joy. Here’s the real secret.
External circumstances do not make or break us; how we handle them is what’s important. Remember that God is on our side.
“What is seen is temporary…what is unseen is eternal. “ (2Cor: 4:18)
AbideLines 