Prepare to Be Disappointed
…not by this episode. By your desires. Sit with us at the feet of a VERY disappointed man, King Solomon, as he laments…well…everything. Oh yeah, in this episode we also discover that Kelly is the better Christian (as if we didn't know that already). Ok, there’s more but you gotta listen to the show for that.
Passage: Ecclesiastes 6:1-9
The Short Story:
“It’s a downer.”
Thanks, Jimmy. 🫠
Scenario 1 begins in verse 1. There is a man who has everything he could ever want! He has wealth, possessions, and honor! God did this for him.
Yet…
Someone else gets to enjoy his possessions.
Scenario 2: Beginning in verse 3, a man fathers 100 children and he gets to live many years! These are great blessings!
Yet…
His soul is not satisfied with good things.
Both of these scenarios describe men just short of greatness. They should be happy, but they aren’t. In verse 2, Solomon calls this a “grievous evil.” Verse 6 tells us that living a thousand years twice (TWICE! What a long life!) but failing to obtain joy is as devastating as a stillborn child. OUCH.
The lamentable moral of these stories: Man, you know what’s really lousy? To have all the things without a heart to soak it in. That’s a loss. And it’s something to be grieved.
The joyful moral of these stories: Man, you know what’s really awesome? God created us to ENJOY the life HE GAVE us (Ecclesiastes 8:15).
Our natural default is to seek after more - more stuff, more wealth, more notoriety, more companionship. We will always grope for these things UNLESS our hearts get recalibrated.
The life God has given you is far better than a wandering desire.
Application questions:
Jimmy thinks Ecclesiastes is one of the most difficult books. Based on what you know about Ecclesiastes, what would you say is the theme or a one-sentence summary of the book?
How are you handling the life that God has given you? Are you enjoying it or are you looking for more?
Solomon’s achievements and possessions certainly appeal to us as “good things”. Spend the next 5 minutes reading through Ecclesiastes. As you read, make a list of all of the things that Solomon has spent time chasing after. Circle the things that you also relate to chasing after.
In both of the passage’s scenarios, these men weren’t satisfied with “the good life” they had. Are you in a season where you are enjoying your life and praising God for his good gifts? Or are you in a season of lamenting what you don’t have? How does your thinking need to shift?
Dedicate some time to memorizing Ecclesiastes 6:9.
We couldn’t answer every question about this passage but we certainly hope we helped! Want to ask more questions? Email question@clearlypodcast.com
Additional resources:
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