Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Depression sets in


17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18  Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Wow! If you weren’t depressed when you started to read this section you certainly would be at the end. As I read this portion of scripture I thought, “why am I doing Ecclesiastes”. Most of the book is depressing but instead of falling into despair, we can learn from Solomon. There are many good subjects in the book – but more on that at a later date.

Solomon is still searching, as he will be for most of the book, to find happiness and contentment. As this portion shows he is getting down right depressed.

He hates everything. He hates life. He hates all the labor he has accomplished. What good is everything I do, he says, because when I die it is all going to someone else.

In these 10 verses the words “under the sun” are repeated 5 times, the words, “vanity” or “vexation” are repeated 6 times. He appears at “wits end” with life in general. As we know his focus was on the wrong “things”.  He should have been focused on God and not on everything else around him.

What about you?  Are you focusing on the situations in your life? The situations may be serious problems such as sickness, death or accidents in your immediate circle of family or friends. The situations may just be some “drama” in your circle of family or friends, things that maybe you should not even be caught up in. Whatever the problem may be God is the solution.

·        He is waiting for you to come to him.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 

·        He is there no matter what the problem. I will never leave or forsake you.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 

·        He loves you and wants to comfort you.
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3 

Have a blessed day,
Donna

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