“It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. It is like trying to catch the wind.”

“What do people get from all their hard work and struggles under the sun? Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don't rest. Even this is pointless.

There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of Elohim. Who can eat or enjoy themselves without Elohim? Elohim gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:22-26a)

After searching drinking, pleasure, wealth, achievement, hard work, and laziness, Solomon found that everything under the sun was pointless in itself. It just leaves us unsatisfied, tired, disappointed, hopeless and craving for more.

There is always more work to be done, more achievements to be accomplished, and more wealth to be acquired. Yet with all of it, one eventually dies and goes out the same way they came in, with nothing. Everything they work so hard for is given to someone who doesn't even care and squanders it away.

Solomon asks, so if all that one can acquire, achieve or obtain in life really has no meaning in life, what is the point?

He notes that when one puts God first in their life, they can enjoy all that they do and are given as a gift. When one is in sin, life is hard and pointless because one is seeking to obtain something for themselves. But to the one who pleases God, they are content in this life - filled with joy, wisdom and knowledge.

“As this world keeps spinning round and round, there are treasures to be found if we just let compassion lead the way” sings.

It is our relationship to God that gives life meaning. And while our purposes are pointless, God has purpose for everything that happens. There is a specific place and time for everything in life when one follows God. Solomon goes into a beautiful poem in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 about how “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for everything under heaven:...”

Time in this case is the Hebrew word et, Strongs #6256. It means the appointed time; proper time, or season. It is the divinely appointed time that God determined. Solomon goes on to say in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “It is beautiful how Elohim has done everything at the right time.”

Commentary notes about Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “This poem speaks with eloquence of the role of time in the life of the believer. Some regard the Book of Ecclesiastes as describing life apart from God, but clearly this text describes life that is lived in relationship with God. Through these words, the Preacher is not teaching that everything has an opportune time according to which one should choose one action or the other. Rather, he teaches that all events are in the hand of God, who makes everything happen in the time He judges appropriate.” [1]

“Time goes by, it moves like a hurricane, And through all the wind and rain, We all need love” sings.

Solomon concludes that while everything man comes up with to do is chasing after wind, what God does will last forever. He states, “Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. Elohim does this so that people will fear him” (Eccles. 3:14).

Man's use of time may be pointless and chasing after the wind, but God's plans in time are full of purpose and meaning. Events from the past often occur again in the future, things happen over and over again, but in them, God requires an account of what happens (Eccl. 3:15). We learn and grow as He forms and shapes us by the events of time.

As life is meant to be a learning ground and not an achievement or accomplishment, we are to enjoy it. We are to enjoy all that we receive from him as a gift to embrace His purposes.

After all his seeking and trying to find satisfaction from various paths, Solomon concludes in Eccl. 5:18-20, “At last I have seen what is good and beautiful: It is to eat and drink and to enjoy the good in all our hard work under the sun during our brief lives Elohim gives us. That is our lot in life. It is a gift from Elohim when Elohim gives some people wealth and possessions, the power to enjoy them, the ability to accept their lot in life and the ability to rejoice in their own hard work. These people won't give much thought to their brief lives because Elohim keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.”

In a nut shell, stop striving to achieve and accomplish and look for what God has for you right where you are. Solomon says, “It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. It is like trying to catch the wind.” (Eccles. 6:9)

Rather, enjoy your brief life on earth with God and others. Relax and trust God to do His work in your life as you open your heart to Him. As we are occupied with God and enjoying all that is set in front of us as a gift, we are living a full life. Hard work, possessions, food and drink, and accomplishments are all to be freely enjoyed in Him but not held onto or are they to be striven after.

In the same way, striving to be more spiritual or transformed is chasing after the wind. It is pointless. God determines all things and He already has a plan. He has a perfect time and place for everything and will carry it out.

We can relax and trust God. As we relax and trust God, allowing Him to use experiences in time to form and shape us, we are changed. Following His heart and His will, we grow more like Him.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

As we enjoy God, what He gives us and others as a gift, we have contentment with our lot in life. We can't achieve anything that hasn't been done and we can't take anything we gain with us so why continue to grasp for it. Be satisfied with what we are given.

“To love God and love people, that's the center of the mark” sings.

So as we look to God and receive life as a gift, we learn that what really matters in life is to be loved and learn to love others. His purpose, love, is eternal and nothing can be taken from it. It is the meaning of life.

As it sings in the background, “we all need love.” Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that many will pass away, and if you have them, they are nothing unless you have love. He notes in 1 Cor. 13:13, “So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.”

Lord, I long to be better at learning to live in Your love and love others. It seems what most often gets in my way is fear due to a lack of trust in Your goodness. It causes me to become overly stressed when difficult circumstances arise. It also seems to choke out compassion for others. Then I become discouraged and want to give up. I know you have never let me fall. But my heart seems to forget it at times. Forgive me. You have been so generous with me.

As the song sings, “We trust You Jesus.” Teach us to trust You and give us the ability to really enjoy life right where you put us. Give us Your joy and keep us occupied with the desire of our hearts – You.

1. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. Ec 3:1