Saturday, June 7, 2008

burn out

2:17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

 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, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

I can see why Solomon was so cynical; He was distracted from the True Pursuit!  He became distracted from knowing and serving Yahweh, and he even built places of worship for detestable idols.  He thought there was something to be gained for himself, and he experienced burn out because it was all SELF motivated.  "How can I please myself?"  How meaningless!  The only thing of value is to be precisely what God wants you to be and to cooperate with Him as He works through us to accomplish His good will.  It is all for His glory!
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that I would not seek to know you and serve you and be pleased with Who You Are and what You do.  I pray that I will never be distracted as Solomon was.  Please keep me close to you.  May my love for you continue to grow.  May I seek to honor and please you only, never my self.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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