A lot of people say that when they are depressed they read Job. Job is a pretty depressing book, I'll admit. But if you really want to get bummed, read Ecclesiastes. This little book was written by Solomon. You probably know a key verse:
Ecclesiastes 1:2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless." NIV
It's all about how Solomon tried wisdom and pleasure, hard work, riches, philosophy, foolishness - he tried it all and more and found that it is all meaningless.
But there is a theme that also runs through the book that is very encouraging. There is the idea that the end of a thing is better than the beginning, that death is better than birth - why? Because we don't know what lies ahead, but we do know what we have done. Is it glorifying to God or to ourselves?
And he says this: Ecclesiastes 2:24 "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God." NIV
Instead of striving to always have a handle on everything, be in control, chart your course so carefully that nothing can stop you - instead, focus on the task at hand and find joy or satisfaction in what God has given you to do today. In the end you may find He brought meaning to that which you thought was meaningless.
Pastor Tom
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