"Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart." Eccl 5:18-20
As is often said, "God is good all the time and all the time, God is good." When we follow his plan for our lives, we can experience the maximum of that goodness. Though his goodness is not dependent on us, we can surely be happier people by attending to his ways.
Life is meant to be enjoyed. God did not create us for misery and pain. So much of what we suffer is because of our own wrong spirited decisions and the consequences that attend them. He loves us and wants us to be happy. He has given each of us the gifts of talent and ability. It is up to us to identify and employ these gifts. They are to be used for ourselves and for others. Used properly, the rewards of a life well lived are inevitable.
Further, when we focus on the work we do and the enjoyment it brings, we have so much less time to worry about things we cannot control. It is fascinating to hear negative attitudes about aging. Beloved, every day the Lord allows us to live brings additional blessings. If any of us were faced with immediate mortality, we would be very much like King Hezekiah who sobbed and begged to retain his life.
Let us dedicate ourselves to constantly seek the good in life and to enjoy both the blessings and the work of the Lord (which in itself is a blessing). Let us seek reasons to rejoice and be happy rather than be drawn into the depths of despair. Our God is still on the throne and he cares for us!
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
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