Contentment, the Gift of God

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 are some of my favorite verses. It’s true that Ecclesiastes can be a complicated book; however, its message has been one of the most helpful truths I have learned in my life. Before we can understand the point of Ecclesiastes, it helps to know a few things about its structure. The author remains anonymous, but the character who speaks during the majority of the book is an unnamed teacher. Some believe this teacher was Solomon, the son of King David, or someone adopting Solomon’s persona for teaching purposes. Whatever the case, it’s helpful to know that Solomon was the most prosperous king of Israel, amassing so much wealth that even silver was considered worthless (1 Kings 10:21; 2 Chronicles 9:20). Not only was Solomon incredibly wealthy, but more importantly, he was the wisest person to ever live. When God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-15). So God blessed Solomon with more wisdom than anyone before him, and anyone since. The book of Ecclesiastes addresses the quest to find satisfaction. People chase after pleasure, status, wealth, careers but it’s all “hevel,” a Hebrew word meaning “vapor” or “smoke”; it’s all fleeting, impossible to grasp. Most of us feel like if we just had “fill in the blank,” then we would be happy. If I just had a career plan I loved, if my family just had more money, if I just had more friends, if I just had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, if I was just more successful then I would be happy. You see, Solomon had it all, and it still wasn’t enough. Ecclesiastes teaches that, while it’s good to find temporary satisfaction in the fruits of our labor, nothing in this world can ever ultimately satisfy our souls. True contentment comes only from living in right relationship with the Creator, and this is only possible through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. As Jesus’ forgiven followers, we can experience true joy, peace, and satisfaction in God. When we choose to respond to God’s love for us by putting our trust in Jesus and following His good ways, we experience contentment as a gift from God. • Jonathon Fuller • A posture of gratitude helps us enjoy God’s good gifts, like a beautiful day or a good meal shared with loved ones. How is a life of gratitude and contentment possible through Jesus? When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity. Ecclesiastes 12:13 (CSB)