chasing after wind without conviction

“Ecclesiastes may seem a strange book, but it’s more relevant than ever. Too many of us are chasing after wind, looking for satisfaction in work, family and success – all good things, yet all things that don’t ultimately satisfy. It would be bad enough if we were just restless, meandering through life, and little cowardly. But we’ve spiritualized restless and meandering cowardice, making it feel like piety instead of passivity. We’re not only living lives of vanity; our passion for God is often nothing more than a passion to have God make our search for vanity a successful one.” ~Kevin DeYoung in Just Do Something

O.MY.WORD.

That cut to the quick last night as I wrapped up this great little book while sitting on the couch next to my wife. I think she heard me audibly gasp to catch my breath after feeling my chest cave from the weight of that accurate indictment.

TWO observations:

ONE: We often think waffling is more spiritual than confident assurance. By so doing, we make cowardice ideal and courage anomalous. At least apparently we do if a cursory glance at the state of men in the American church is to be considered evidence for the plaintiffs.

TWO: We ignore Scripture and pursue vanity. We elevate a principle of soothsaying over that clearly articulated in the Bible. Our happiness cannot come from finding the right “one” to marry, the right job to perform, the right major to pursue in college, the right college to attend, the right value meal to order. It CANNOT. Yet, we ignore this clear admonition. Not only that, but we ask God to bless our ignorance, which is downright ARROGANT!

Like I said before.

O.MY.WORD.

My heart recoiled within me.

These sharp words divided my marrow from my bone and I am thankful for it.

God,

Grant me courage to be confident in You.

May I take risks because I’m confident You don’t.

I can trust You.

You’re good and you pursue my good and Your glory better than I can and do.

Because of Jesus I am confident.

Because of Jesus I am free to live in bondage to Him, not bondage to my best life now, before and later in the vanity of this lifetime and livelihood.

Amen.