Wisdom from Ecclesiastes

Lots of people don't like this book of the bible. I admit, it's kind of depressing.  Solomon, the wisest person to ever live, comes to the conclusion that everything in this life is meaningless, like chasing the wind.  Not exactly good news to those of us who are stuck here for a while, trying to make sense of our lives.  But there is a little nugget of wisdom buried in chapter 7, verse 13, that has become my life's verse: "Accept the way God does things for who can straighten what he has made crooked?"

This blog is my journey of acceptance of what God has made crooked.  If you, the reader, are honest, you'll admit that he's made your life crooked too.  The truth is that human beings, no matter what time they live in, no matter how much media they are exposed to, no matter how in tune they are with scripture, are fed a lie by the world about what will make them happy.  For some it's material wealth, educational or professional accomplishment, or relational peace.  It could be security, weight loss, Coach purses, marrying the right person, divorcing the wrong person...

Going about life, looking and seeming like everyone else.  Doesn't the world make you think that if you have that everything will be ok?

Well, it's a lie.  I can say that after having that kind of "happiness" for a while, thinking everything was ok, and realizing twice in the last three years what a fragile and completely false sense of security that was.  I had that "happiness" yanked away in heartbeat and have had to learn a very difficult lesson that the world we live in is harsh, unfair, untrustworthy, and broken.

Depressing?  Maybe.  Like King Solomon, I have no good news about this world.  All the job promotions and Coach purses are meaningless, like chasing the wind.  But there is something that we can put our hope in.  Something that will never let us down, something that is not of this world.  No, it's not fairy tales and wishful thinking.  I believe so strongly in the truth of a loving God who has plans for me--plans for good and not for disaster, plans to give me hope and a future--that I would die to defend these beliefs.

He tried to teach me this once about 3 years ago.  And now, I find myself on another painful journey to put my hope in things not of this world, of things unseen.  Join me.