Everything is Futile
“People don’t know whether to expect love or hate.
Everything lies ahead of them. Everything is the same for everyone: there is
one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the
clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not
sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner, as for the one who
takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is
done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone (death)” – Ecclesiastes 9:1-3
Solomon speaks on the futility of life: the emptiness of
pleasure, the emptiness of possessions, the emptiness of work, the relative
value of wisdom, etc. What is the meaning behind it all? After the loss of my
brother, I truly began to ask these difficult questions. What is the goal of
life? What are we to do here on earth? Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why were my prayers unanswered?
“When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the
activity that is done on earth, I observed all the work of God and concluded
that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though
a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if the wise man claims
to know it, he is unable to discover it” – Ecclesiastes 8:16-17
Well, that was not the answer that I wanted to hear; I
wanted to understand why. It is hard for me to remain content with, “Let it
be”. Honestly, I am a bit confused because we are also instructed to seek
wisdom and knowledge. Are those not contradictory thoughts: seek understanding
but you will never understand? I know that I will never cease in my search for
truth. Sometimes I may receive an answer that I understand, other times I may
receive an answer that I don’t understand, and still there will be times where
I may have yet to receive a response. As we search for truth in our lives, it
is important to remember “there is no end to the making of many books and much
study wearies the body. When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter
is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. For God
will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or
evil” – Ecclesiastes 12:12-14. So, as I endure this state of being discontent
with answers, I realize the importance of remaining obedient and upholding
faithfulness.
“The journey begins in
darkness but ends in light, but it is important to recognize that even behind
the darkest cloud God is smiling down on those who remain obedient and
faithful.”
–
Summarization of When God Turns off the Lights,
Cecil
Murphey
