"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." - James 1:2
We live in a culture where the criteria for having a good life is defined as merely possessing a high paying career, a big house, an appealing car, and a family. No wonder why many are left feeling under-achieved, unhappy, and completely distraught when they compare their life to society's blueprint for happiness. If we're not careful, we could buy into the delusion that: in order for one to be happy, their life must be full of good circumstances. Otherwise if you're living a life completely contradictory to society's ideal good life, then your life is considered by culture's standards, to be mediocre. This could not be any further from the truth, happiness does not depend on good circumstances, Solomon's life proved this.
Solomon was a king who embodied the "good life" culture says we must strive for.
An accountant ran the numbers to find out how rich Solomon would be if he lived in today's world. He concluded that Solomon would have had twenty five billion dollars in his bank account and $174 million coming in every year. Solomon was very wealthy.
To add insult to injury, King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. The Bible says he was the wisest man to have ever lived on earth, but with that many women in his life, I don't think that call was very wise. To close the argument, Solomon was at peace with all the nations and Israel never had to go to war under his reign. It is not a debate that King Solomon had it all: riches, women, wisdom, and favor. He embodied the good life society says you'll find fulfillment and happiness in. Yet throughout the book of Ecclesiastes we find a dissatisfied Solomon saying that "Everything is meaningless!"
He was UTTERLY DEPRESSED! So unhappy that he questioned if life was really worth living. What was the reason for his grief? Doesn't society say that if you have what he had, you would be HAPPY? Yet the man himself says otherwise.
The reason for his sorrow was because he looked back on his life, much of which was lived APART FROM GOD! Solomon realized that you could have everything but if you do not have a realtionship with God in your life, you will never have fulfillment and happiness. Solomon felt the emptiness gnaw at his soul. What advice does the wisest man who had it at all have for anyone who might listen?
He encouraged all to: not forget their Creator and God, honor Him, and live life WITH God. He concludes ecclesiastes by saying
"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man."
Through Solomon's life and example, we are now able to understand that a "good life" apart from God is, never was, and never will be a good life. The only way you will find true fulfillment and happiness in your life is in God.
Next Article: How not to waste your life
