“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2
People search for meaning to why things occur as they do. Children are always asking why they have to learn some subject or topic in school. They do not see any meaning or reason for it.
Murders occur on a regular basis and people wonder why a person does the killing, especially in mass levels of killing. People want to know the meaning of why there are wars going on.
Disasters and sickness occur in the lives of people and people are always asking why. There does not appear any reason for these events to happen.
As people seek to find answers to why things happen, most often the answer appears that the event was meaningless, with no reason that one can see or understand. When this occurs, there are many who find life is meaningless and want to end it.
Solomon starts out this book with stating that everything is meaningless. There was no reason for anything.
Looking at most things there does not appear to be any meaning for why they occur. From the world’s viewpoint of everything that occurs, there is often no reason. Things often look hopeless and with no real purpose.
Those who believe in God, however, see things from a different perspective. Events in this life are seen from God’s eternal point of view, though often it is also difficult to see or understand.
The believer knows that things that are bad that occur happen because of sin. Sin brings people to do what should not be done. Sin has brought death, sickness and meaninglessness to many things in the lives of people.
Only in Jesus does one begin to see reason and meaning to everything that occurs. Without God there is no purpose for anything. God is the one who gives life and purpose to a person.
Going through your life, you will encounter things and events that do not appear to have any meaning or purpose. Turn your focus off of those events and onto God. Gain an eternal perspective of what is going on.
Realize that a lot of things that occur are because of sin and sinful choices.
Holding onto and believing in Jesus gives meaning and purpose to everything. Never forget that God works all things out for those who believe and trust in Him.
Your life does have meaning and purpose in Christ Jesus. Lean on Jesus and hope in Him.
I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that God will reveal your purpose in this life; that you will know the hope you can have in Jesus; and that God will reveal meaning to events in your life.
Tom Arn has ministered in many facets of the church, from children’s pastor, senior pastor, and currently as a Sunday School Teacher. He has General Ministries Degree. He began with short devotional Bible studies on his blog, Insights From Tom in 2014. He travels through each book of the Bible, chapter-by-chapter and section-by-section, writing what God places on his heart at the time.
Tom is happily married for 31 years to his wonderful wife Cammie. Together they share with everyone how God has blessed them with eight children and one precious grandchild. He desires that God may richly bless you, and make you more like Jesus everyday, drawing you closer to Him.
Featured Image by Andrea Piacquadio from pexels.com
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