Victory Over Futility

“’Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless, everything is meaningless.’” [1]

The Teacher tried to satisfy himself by gaining superior wisdom. He tried to satisfy himself with every kind of earthly pleasure. He tried to satisfy himself with his work. At the end of each phase, he came up empty handed and lamenting “meaningless.”

“To the person 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.” [2]

I believe the Teacher found God’s strategy meaningless because God’s plan was not about gratifying his sinful self. God’s plan is that we unite with Him through faith in Jesus Christ and that with Jesus Christ we carry out God’s will on earth.

Who pleases God? Who experiences victory over futility?

“Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” [3]

Life does not have to be meaningless. Jesus Christ replaces futility with faith by filling us with His Spirit. By the power of the Holy Spirit, God can do things through us that otherwise He could not do. Jesus helps us to live victoriously.

[1] Ecclesiastes 1:2
[2] Ecclesiastes 2:26
[3] 1 John 5:4-5