A few verses that caught my attention recently...
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 - A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
- It really is a blessing to be able to find enjoyment in the work that you do. I think this verse also speaks to the value of having an overall sense of contentment about your life. Not that things are exactly as you would like them to be, but that you find a way to appreciate who, what and where you are in life.
Ecclesiastes 4:4 - And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- So much of what people seek after is a response to what they see others seeking after. Many times you don't want something until you see someone else with it. It's so important to have a value system that is independent of external pressures false ideals.
Ecclesiastes 6:11 - The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?
- I've written before about the power of brevity. Words are important, so we should use them wisely.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 - The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
- Any time you're building or establishing something in your life, the early stages can be small, difficult or frustrating. The key is to focus on the goal you're ultimately pursuing. Pride says, "I need to arrive NOW". Patience says, "These small steps are progress. I'll get there in due time"
Ecclesiastes 7:14 - When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
- Sometimes we try to evaluate our standing with God based on how we feel about our current circumstances. When things are going well, we should be grateful and thankful. But we need wisdom to see clearly when things aren't going the way we would like. We have to refrain from assuming that difficult situations are a sign that God has become upset or has forsaken us. God is always sovereign and good, no matter where life finds us.
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