Vanity And Striving

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

King Solomon was the richest man to ever walk the face of our planet. Bill Gates, Donald Trump, and Fort Knox combined could not hold a candle to Solomon’s vast wealth. The Bible tells us that he took full advantage of every blessing God had bestowed upon him. Ecclesiastes is a record of the “grievous task” that Solomon undertook in exploring “all that has been done under heaven”. Included in his search was the purpose of life and pleasure, riches and glory, wisdom and youth, oppression, friendship, and time. In short, Solomon found there to be “no profit under the sun”.

I challenge you to take a moment today to evaluate your life. I ask you not to weigh it with the balances and scales of men but with the word of God. When all is said and done ask not how your wardrobe, popularity, or education has grown, but how your relationship with the Lord has improved.

Solomon writes, “I considered all my activities which my hands had done”. What better area to begin a true evaluation of your life. Looking back, where did you spend most of your energy? Which projects, hobbies, or entertainments did you dedicate the most time to? Was this done for the glory of God? Furthermore he records, “and the labor which I had exerted”. Is the Lord pleased with your work or school? Have you been faithful to your responsibilities or did you take shortcuts that bring only disappointment? Maybe you have foolishly placed your work higher than it should be among priorities such as God, family, and health. I pray that you might honestly evaluate your work ethics. Have they been to the glory of God?

In the end, Solomon found all he had done to be “vanity and striving after the wind”. As you go throughout your day, I challenge you to ask the Lord what His will is for your life. What good are the joys and responsibilities of an existence not lived for the Lord? All that we seek to accomplish should be done to the glory of God. How do you measure up?

At the end of Ecclesiastes we find the conclusion to Solomon’s “grievous task”. I pray that you might heed his words and live your life not after worldly desires, but to the glory of our mighty God and King.