Finding Meaning in Life
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes and The Song of Solomon, has been said to be one of the wisest men who ever lived and yet he said that all is meaningless under the sun several times in Ecclesiastes. Is this actually the case? Is it true in your life?
What puts meaning in your life? Your job? Your wealth? Your children? Your spouse? Your dreams?
If it is one of those things then you are probably frustrated frequently or even depressed as these are idols or counterfeit gods. Solomon found no fulfillment in pleasure, wealth, wisdom, knowledge, or the work within which he pursued it. If you paint the true God out of the picture than the end is the same no matter what else you attempt to find meaning or fulfillment in. Solomon lamented that whatever one accomplishes, one leaves for the next generations who may not even remember your name. Life is meaningless without God. If there is no God then Solomon is correct, we might as well eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.
If there is no God then everything is by chance. The Earth was created by chance, the solar system, the universe and even you and I. If there is no God then there is nothing after this life. There is no Heaven. There is no Hell. If there is no God then it makes no difference how we live this life. If there is no God then we should feel free to demand our satisfaction and gratification from others in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 Paul says that life is meaningless and futile without God.
Solomon tells us not to turn our backs on God when life does not make sense. Think about this. God is the creator of this world and knows it better than anyone. He knows what plans he has for our lives. He knows what we need and what our desires are. Above that, he can meet every need we have. It does not make sense to turn our backs on the “author and finisher of our salvation” Hebrews 12:2. God has made everything beautiful in His time Ecclesiastes 3:11.
Why does a righteous man die in his righteousness but an evil man lives long in his wickedness? Solomon asks this question and we continue to ask this question today. Is this unfair? If we consider it to be unfair then that leads us to believe that God is unfair but because He loves us so much, we know that He is fair. John 3:16 tells us that God so loves the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him, will not perish but have ever-lasting life. If one is a Christian then one may long to be united with our savior Jesus Christ in Heaven but God has much work for us to do here and the laborers are few.
Solomon tells us to worship God with all of our hearts but many of us worship the things that God has created or given to us. Anything that is more important than God is an idol. Jesus says, where your money is, there your heart will be also. Whatever you put your time or money in becomes an idol. In Genesis, we are told about Isaac being born to Abraham and Sarah when they are both very old and yet God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. He asked this of Abraham because Isaac had become more important to him than his relationship with God. Because God required this of Abraham it benefited the lives of both father and son after God provided an alternate sacrifice Genesis 22.
Pastor Henry Schorr of Centre Street Church in Calgary said in a sermon that most of what is wrong with us can be traced back to an idol in our lives. These idols can cause relational tensions and other scars in our lives. Many of these things are not bad in themselves but they should not be our focus in our lives. Take a walk up the mountain and sacrifice your idol to God. Surrender your counterfeit god and worship the True God. Worship him only and see him make your life the best it can be. 
Tags: God, Jesus, meaning in life, Solomon
Filed under: Christian
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