“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.” Ecclesiastes 5:18
Since the signing of our constitution 248 years ago, Americans have experienced a freedom previously unknown to mankind. Most Americans find freedom so normal that we find it easy to take it for granted. Many other countries have adopted this “freedom” concept. But some haven’t. It was not always this way. I have a friend who grew up in Romania. Her parents and grandparents experienced communist rule in Romania. They understood submission to authority in a way I never will. Viewing God as the supreme King is something she does not struggle with as a result of watching her parents and grandparents. “Off with your head!” seems to be a phrase of long ago in ancient make-believe kingdoms.
Today we rarely see such severe consequences to someone’s sin. We also hardly think twice about questioning the Lord’s leading in our lives. It seems optional to follow Him. If it feels good. If it fits our schedule, we think. Therefore, we do not revere the Lord as we should.
The wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and was a king himself. While it seems many times like his writing in Ecclesiastes resulted from a mid-life crisis, much wisdom can be made from his conclusions. Throughout the whole book, he continually said that the most joy can be found when we are most submitted to the Lord. Solomon, with all of his wealth, even explained the utter emptiness of it all. He explained the emptiness of sex and pleasure. He had everything and tried everything. Yet he found following the Lord to be the most satisfying thing in all of life.
I confess that I often do not think of what the Lord wants for my life or my days. I think about what would be most profitable, the best use of my time, how to get everything done—as if that were the whole meaning of life. But the Lord says, through the book of Ecclesiastes, that we are to submit to God, accept our place in life, eat and drink, and go about our lives happy about it. In other words, it’s OK if we do not make a lot of money. It’s OK if we do—if that’s God’s call for us. The main thing is to do what God has called us to and find contentment in it. If we are doing that, we can relax. We can eat our food with gladness and relax living day to day doing as the Lord leads, trusting Him with all the unknowns. Imagine submission to a king where if you questioned the king, you lost your life. Do you submit to God that way? Do you fear God that way? Solomon speaks of how those who please God most are those who fear Him most (Ecclesiastes 7).
Instead of always asking God questions, like why, why don’t we just do as He leads and work on being content with that? Obviously, His understanding is far above our own (Ecclesiastes 5). We are simply to follow Him, do what He says, trust that we are doing our part in His large puzzle He is orchestrating. Why not use our freedom to follow Him? Are you content where God has you today? Are you happy about it? What would it take for you to find contentment where the Lord has you? How can you trust Him with unknowns in your life? If you do find it easy to be happy where God has you, how can you help someone else get there? Praise Him for getting you to that place today.