Mourning vs. Happiness

In general, we’d rather experience and/or attend fun and happy times and events. We don’t look forward to the hard and challenging times because they are…hard and challenging. But the most growth and perspective happens during those hard and difficult times. I’ll give you a very superficial silly example. When I work out I often wish for it be an easy recovery or fun day because I don’t feel like crying during or after the workout. I’m not sore for days. I’m not covered in sweat and questioning my choice to get up and work out. But, the reality is the hard times are where I grow the most. The growth is in the challenge and then the perspective of how from I’ve come comes after I’ve completed the program. So, the hard workouts are just as if not more valuable the easy ones.

Solomon tells us that this is the reality for more serious experiences. When you read Eccl. 6, it can quickly become a beat down. Solomon realizes no matter how hard you work or how many kids you have or how much money and stuff you accumulate, every one’s life is a passing shadow on this earth. So, he questions what is the point of it all? If we all die and all our work and stuff are in vain because they doesn’t keep us from dying, we have no control over them when we die, and we are never satisfied with them, then what’s the point? He wonders how can we use this reality to shape how we live!? He provides the answer in the next chapter.

Solomon concludes it is better to experience and learn the dark realities like death and sorrow in this life because they give us important reminders. If we are just happy all the time and never experience pain, suffering, or loss, then we lose our perspective on what we should actually be focused on this earth. The pleasures of this earth are glitzy and glamorous but also hollow and fleeting. It is better Solomon says to experience the hard times because they remind us of the end of all mankind. And once we have that perspective, we can better appreciate how the hard times here are helping us focus on what is really important in this life.

Pleasing God and living a life focused on life with Him instead of life here on this earth with our fading stuff and passing joys.

Today, a year ago today my sister went on a medical trip during which she unexpectedly nearly died and the consequences of the trip have left her with life long suffering. Yet, those hard times in her life and in our family helped to bring us all closer to God and each other. It gave her and us a renewed perspective on what truly matters in this life. And her continued pain and suffering are reminders to all of us that life here on earth is not our life is truly about.

We must not let the fleeting pleasures and happy times of this world, cloud us to the reality Solomon points out. We are all going to die. And we will all stand before God.

Make sure the life you live here, helps you get to the life you were intended to have with God.