Enjoy Today
Enjoying the Day
Ecclesiastes 11
“Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.”
It is easy to become so caught up in the pursuit of our future and our dreams that we do not take the time to stop and enjoy the moment. As Solomon takes an in-depth, honest evaluation of life in this broken world, he reminds us that we can become so distracted by the pursuit of our dreams or the uncertainties of tomorrow that we fail to enjoy the moment that God has given. Joy in life is not based upon what we hope will come, for that is always the pursuit of a phantom. Rather, joy comes when we learn to enjoy the present, for this is all we really have. We cannot change the past, nor can we predict the future; all we can do is enjoy the present that God has given us.
In this broken world, we cannot comprehend all that God is doing. While we may see glimpses of his plans, in reality, there is much we do not comprehend. We make our plans and put them into motion, but in the end, we cannot see the outcome, only God can. Therefore, the first step towards success in this world is to recognize that God is at work and that he uses our efforts to accomplish his purpose. In our plans, we recognize that God works behind the scenes, beyond the realm of our comprehension, to bring about outcomes that we never envisioned. So how do we live and plan in the present when we do not know the future. Solomon points us to the answer. God’s sovereign working behind the scenes does not lead to fatalism, in which there is no point in doing anything. Solomon reminds us that we are to do our work and make our plans, for there is purpose in our work and God accomplishes his work through our efforts (vs 1). However, he also advises us to remain flexible in our plans and allow for God to work. Some of our plans will not come to fruition, while others will bring results. Therefore, we are to “divide our portions to seven or even to eight.” Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, for we do not know which plan will be the instrument that God uses to accomplish his purpose. If we start playing the “what if” game, we will not achieve anything (vs 4). Instead, we are to do the task before us, work diligently in the task set before us, for we do not know what God will use; we can simply trust him that the outcome (whether good or bad) is a part of his plan for us.
The second lesson we need to learn in this uncertain world is the importance of enjoying the day. Often, we get so caught up in the pursuit of our dreams that we never stop to enjoy the moment God has given us. This is especially true when we start our careers and make our plans for life. Solomon reminds us to enjoy the life God has given us before age and sorry come upon us, and the opportunity for the enjoyment of life is past. In verse 9, Solomon is not encouraging unbridled pleasure, but rather he is challenging us to stop and enjoy the present. Do not get so caught up in the “pursuit of the American Dream” that we fail to enjoy life. However, in our enjoyment of life, Solomon also warns us not to forget that we are still accountable to God and to live in obedience to him (vs 9b). Enjoy life, but in the context of his commands.
How often do we get so caught up in our pursuit of the dreams of tomorrow that we forget to enjoy the reality of the present? Life is a gift from God, and he has given us this life to enjoy in the present. The greatest joy is not found in the future; it is found in the present by grasping the gifts that God has given us now. Today, take a moment to reflect and enjoy the blessings he has given you now, and then you will discover that life is filled with joy.
Ecclesiastes 11
“Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.”
It is easy to become so caught up in the pursuit of our future and our dreams that we do not take the time to stop and enjoy the moment. As Solomon takes an in-depth, honest evaluation of life in this broken world, he reminds us that we can become so distracted by the pursuit of our dreams or the uncertainties of tomorrow that we fail to enjoy the moment that God has given. Joy in life is not based upon what we hope will come, for that is always the pursuit of a phantom. Rather, joy comes when we learn to enjoy the present, for this is all we really have. We cannot change the past, nor can we predict the future; all we can do is enjoy the present that God has given us.
In this broken world, we cannot comprehend all that God is doing. While we may see glimpses of his plans, in reality, there is much we do not comprehend. We make our plans and put them into motion, but in the end, we cannot see the outcome, only God can. Therefore, the first step towards success in this world is to recognize that God is at work and that he uses our efforts to accomplish his purpose. In our plans, we recognize that God works behind the scenes, beyond the realm of our comprehension, to bring about outcomes that we never envisioned. So how do we live and plan in the present when we do not know the future. Solomon points us to the answer. God’s sovereign working behind the scenes does not lead to fatalism, in which there is no point in doing anything. Solomon reminds us that we are to do our work and make our plans, for there is purpose in our work and God accomplishes his work through our efforts (vs 1). However, he also advises us to remain flexible in our plans and allow for God to work. Some of our plans will not come to fruition, while others will bring results. Therefore, we are to “divide our portions to seven or even to eight.” Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, for we do not know which plan will be the instrument that God uses to accomplish his purpose. If we start playing the “what if” game, we will not achieve anything (vs 4). Instead, we are to do the task before us, work diligently in the task set before us, for we do not know what God will use; we can simply trust him that the outcome (whether good or bad) is a part of his plan for us.
The second lesson we need to learn in this uncertain world is the importance of enjoying the day. Often, we get so caught up in the pursuit of our dreams that we never stop to enjoy the moment God has given us. This is especially true when we start our careers and make our plans for life. Solomon reminds us to enjoy the life God has given us before age and sorry come upon us, and the opportunity for the enjoyment of life is past. In verse 9, Solomon is not encouraging unbridled pleasure, but rather he is challenging us to stop and enjoy the present. Do not get so caught up in the “pursuit of the American Dream” that we fail to enjoy life. However, in our enjoyment of life, Solomon also warns us not to forget that we are still accountable to God and to live in obedience to him (vs 9b). Enjoy life, but in the context of his commands.
How often do we get so caught up in our pursuit of the dreams of tomorrow that we forget to enjoy the reality of the present? Life is a gift from God, and he has given us this life to enjoy in the present. The greatest joy is not found in the future; it is found in the present by grasping the gifts that God has given us now. Today, take a moment to reflect and enjoy the blessings he has given you now, and then you will discover that life is filled with joy.
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July
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