14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Eccl 1:14 (NIV)
A Journey Through Ecclesiastes
Throughout our life, we chase after fame, money, and fortune. We acquire degrees, houses and cars, the perfect relationship, build a family and strive for our dreams. We check off our to-do list and create vision boards to attain future goals. We seek validation from people who don’t even know or understand us and try to impress others over our accolades. We network within inner circles to prove our status. We get plastic surgery to try to hold onto our youth. We pick ourselves apart because we don’t feel like we measure up to others’ opinions of ourselves.
All of it is chasing after the wind. It’s all vanity. It’s not that we shouldn’t have ambition or desire to acquire some of these things, but we shouldn’t let it control our lives, dictate our decisions or shift our values. We’re only here on this earth for a glimpse of time. The moment our heart aches for more or we lose quality sleep for acquiring the ultimate life we desire, we lose our peace and we lose our focus.
When our priorities start to shift to compete with the world, the Lord is no longer at the center of our thoughts. As much as we run after the things in this world, we should make a conscious effort to run after God, the Holy One of Israel. ”But whosoever drinketh the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (NKJV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Rev 3:20 (NKJV)
Don’t allow your strife to manipulate or distort your focus. Keep your eyes on the one who cares for you. Get rid of your competitive spirit or deep wrenching desire of comparison. It only lands in the courtroom of bitterness, jealousy and envy which rots the bones and ages you before your time. Release the burden of weight. Lay down on your pillow at night in sweet and pleasant peace. You was never meant to carry the load that leads to exhaustion, depression and anxiety. For what is it worth? For what is the cost? It’s all vanity. It’s all chasing after the wind.
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Bible Verses of Reflection
Eccl 1:17
17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
Eccl 2:4-11
4 I made my work great, I built houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
9 So I became great and [d]excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also. my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my [e]reward from all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done. And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed, all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
Eccl 2:11
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Eccl 9:1-5
For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. 2 All things come alike to all:
One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;
To the good, the clean, and the unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.
As is the good, so is the sinner;
He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
Eccl 9:6-8
Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. 7 Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.
8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
Eccl 9:9
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
Eccl 9:10
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going
Eccl 9:11
11 I returned and saw under the sun that…
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all
Mark 8:36-37
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
“Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
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