Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:17
There are so many things in this world that keeps us self-focused. We can use things like selfies, success, pleasures, food, wine, possessions, good looks, charismatic personality, education and the list goes on to “quote make ourselves feel better”. But the truth is they only make us feel more empty because they breed comparison with others; and in the long run we always fall short next to someone. Look at the list other than a selfie, there is truly nothing new under the sun according to Solomon who said it thousands of years ago.
Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-16, and count how many times he used the word I, me or my. Here he was the wisest and richest man who ever lived wrote about all the things he had and done and yet in verse 17 he says he hates life. Wait, what? You mean having and doing everything you want doesn’t make you happy? Apparently not, because Solomon had it all, but what he didn’t have was a memory of where all those things came from. Not his brilliance, wisdom, money, pleasures or things, but from the Lord Himself. 1 Kings 3:6-14, he prays and asks God for wisdom and discernment to rule wisely and God not only gave him those things, but so much more (I encourage you to read it).
And all went well until he forgot to keep walking with the Lord. When he stopped focusing on and listening to the Lord and began to believe he could do life on his own, he lost his wisdom, discernment, his hearing heart and was never satisfied. Why? Because God Himself was his wisdom, discernment, provision, health and satisfaction, just like Jesus is now ours. Be honest with yourself and ask Holy Spirit if you are suffering from some kind of “I” disease. And since all of us do, then open yourself up to hear what He has to say. Not only will He show you where you’re focus is, but how to correct it. Because He wants you to live your life to the full.
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