Tag: Wisdom for the Storms of Life

It only takes a few minutes of world news to realize we live in a broken world. Pandemics, wars, oppression, corruption… Ecclesiastes is showing us two ways to respond to living in a broken world. 1) One is to live in denial–by chasing the wind trying to find happiness apart from God. 2) The other is to live by faith–despite the frustrations of a broken world, knowing that God is working out His plan and will make all things beautiful in His time. | AUDIO | TEXT PDF

“God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” (C.S. Lewis)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” –Ecclesiastes 3:11

Why does every culture on every continent in every generation have a concept about God? Egyptians believed in life after death as well as a final judgement. They believed that after death your soul was weighed on a balance scale. On one side of the scale was your soul, and on the other side was a feather. If your soul was lighter than a feather, you could have eternal life in paradise. If not you received eternal punishment.

Why would Egyptians, Babylonians, Mayans, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, all have a concept of God, life after death and judgement? Why would isolated tribes in the Amazon rain forests, cut off from outside civilizations still have a concept of the “Great Spirit in the sky.” Because God placed Eternity in our hearts. God created us “in His image” (Gen. 1:26) with a spirit and consciousness of eternity. Let’s examine the fascinating fact, the fascinating effect and the fascinating reason God placed eternity in our heart. AUDIO | TEXT PDF

Wisdom for the Seasons and Storms of Life
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

We are so conditioned by culture to believe that happiness is found in our circumstances. This is the “when/then” way of thinking… “when I get that job, then I’ll be happy… when I retire, then I’ll be happy… when I get my way, then I’ll be happy.” 
However, the timeless wisdom of God’s word reveals that true happiness is not based on life circumstances–It is based on living in harmony with God and His will through all of life’s circumstances. Although we all experience the seasons and storms of life, God will be with us through those seasons and storms. He makes all things beautiful in His time. AUDIO | TEXT PDF

What makes a happy life? What brings true happiness, meaning and fulfillment? A 75 year Harvard study has been trying to find the answer. We know one thing they’ve discovered – happiness is not found by accident by winning the lottery of life. Solomon was searching for the answer to this question as well, and he had already won the lottery of life! Solomon had more money, more power, more prominence, more wives and more wisdom than anyone else alive, and yet he was still empty and unfulfilled. Solomon was still searching. True Happiness is Not Based on Winning the Lottery of Life, it is Based on Living with Wisdom in Harmony With God and His Will. AUDIO | TEXT PDF

Obstacles we Encounter in Our Search for True Meaning, Fulfillment, Happiness

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” (Viktor Frankl)

Solomon describes some of the obstacles under the sun that we encounter in our search for true meaning, fulfillment and happiness. As we recognize these obstacles in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, we also find some spiritual lessons. AUDIO | TEXT PDF