| Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
The Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible describes Solomon’s journey. He was the king and had everything in this world, but he realized that everything in life is meaningless without God. We should be able to learn from other people’s mistakes so that we do not make the same mistakes.
In Ecclesiastes 2: 18-23, “I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world. Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So, what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.”
How many of us work all our lives to make a living, and then we realize we are leaving it for the next person. We work, save, plan, and try to get ahead, but what does it matter in the end? For many, their identity is in their work and career. We may be a doctor, teacher, construction worker, retail worker, salesman, or a pastor, and that becomes our identity. When people see us, they only see what we do, not us!
Solomon tells us it is all meaningless. One day, we will retire, get sick, and no longer work, and then what will be our identity? So what do we get for our hard work, stress, and anxiety?
We need to live for a higher purpose—God’s purpose for our lives! God has a Divine purpose for us in whatever career we choose. We need to see that we are on a mission to reach people for Jesus!
Work hard – yes! Enjoy what you do – yes! Focus on the things that matter for all eternity – yes! Be the salt of the earth – yes! Be the light of the world – yes! Be all that you can be in Jesus – yes! Then you will find meaning in all we do – when we live for Jesus daily!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pastor Ronald Squibb has been the International Christian Church (ICC) Lead Senior Pastor at Staten Island, New York, since 2011. He draws many experiences from his over 40 years as a pastor and significant emotional life experiences.
His new book, Following the Journey with Jesus, which he co-authored with Daniel McNaughton, was recently published and is getting rave reviews. His daily devotional appears in this publication.
