When Life’s Not Working

In a strange way Ecclesiastes has the fabric of our own world woven through page after page, probing so relentlessly at the boundaries of life, that it can come across as just plain pessimistic!

It stares straight at life’s absurdities, injustices, inequities; the ineffectiveness of human striving; the limitations of human wisdom; the unpredictability of even human breath!  It presses the reader to ask if we’re dealing with this life as it actually is, and using all of the building material available to us.

The writer, King Solomon, referring to himself as “the teacher”, is likely penning this toward the end of his life.  He looks at his world, considers his considerable wealth, surveys his abundant work projects, reflects on his astounding wisdom – and comes to the conclusion that “all is vanity”.  And through it all, Solomon is just stating that there are times when life is not fair.

From little children arguing over which piece of candy is bigger, to arguments on any sports field or court, we can hear it – “Hey!  No fair!  You broke the rules!  Foul!”  This is called

‘judicial sentiment’.  It’s the sense of outrage that bubbles up from within us when we feel that we or others have been treated unfairly.

It gets expressed in any number of ways:  from an aggrieved child in a playground game; to an angry claimant in a courtroom; to a protester in a losing cause; to flooding out of control; to a young parent’s sudden illness; an unpredictable accident; a victim of abuse; a spreading virus; the assault of a sniper; a devastated nation like Puerto Rico or Haiti – the unfairness of life – it’s suffering; it’s wrongdoing; it’s violation – can hit so randomly and cruelly, that even the ground itself might no longer feel firm or solid.

This Life’s Reality:  It’s Not Fair!

It’s one of the questions that Ecclesiastes brings to the surface:  Why is life so unfair?

Thousands of years ago Solomon experienced what we’re still appalled at today – when life’s not working somehow, in the way we wanted or expected.

Not all wickedness is punished.     Ecclesiastes 3:16

Not all the oppressed are helped.   Ecclesiastes 4:1

Not all work is worthwhile.           Ecclesiastes 4:4-8

Not all work is worthwhile, if it springs from envy.  This workplace envy can be called ‘combative competition’.  Solomon says it can show up in several ways:

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil.” 6

Not every ladder needs another rung.

“… there was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content.” 8

Not every hole needs to be dug deeper.

“… why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”

Not every hour is designed for work.

Solomon is writing about the lack of : tranquility, contentment, leisure.

We can become encapsulated in a day dominated by trying to scurry up the next rung of the ladder of success, because someone below is grabbing for what we’ve got; not content; not living, but just enduring and getting by ‘under the circumstances’; wanting things we can’t have, and not wanting things we’ve got; straining for more than what someone else has; working with incessant activity, tired, and somewhat bored with it all, but trying to fit it all into an already overburdened schedule.

And on the other side of it, much of the world around us says, “The real way to get ahead is to be unscrupulous and have no integrity.”  Have you ever lost a business deal, or a contract, or a sale because of a less than honest competitor?  You work hard to make a living; make your payments; while some unethical person lives it up!  It’s not right!  It’s not just!  It’s not moral!  It’s not fair!       But are you ever envious?

The largest salaries don’t always go the hardest workers; the most qualified aren’t always promoted.  Kindness, faithfulness, integrity can go unnoticed.      And are you ever envious?

Envy isn’t tied to what a person possesses.  It doesn’t depend on status, the size of house, make of car, or thickness of portfolio.

We don’t want to allow our hearts to become so bitter that we withdraw from the One Who can ultimately help, love, support, and conquer.  So where do we turn?  Where are we to look when the foundation of our faith gets shaken?

A Believer’s Refuge:     Life, this side of Heaven, IS unfair!

Even Jesus told us this!  In John 16:33 He said, “In this world you will have trouble.”  Both Solomon and Jesus accepted this as a fact of life.  Living as we do in this fallen world, we can be certain that we will encounter suffering.  We can’t avoid it.       But –

This world is not all there is!

Today is not the end of the story.  The final chapter has not been written.  Never forget – one Day God will balance the books.  A time of judgment.  A Day of accounting.

Why is the world unfair and unjust?  Because it’s full of unfair and unjust people like you and me!  Given the loving freedom to choose, I will time and again choose to do wrong; and it’s that behavior that proves I need a Savior.  Because one Day I’ll stand before God with no excuse.  And apart from a Savior, there will be no way out!

But the Good News is this – Jesus Christ IS that Savior!  Instead of justice, we’re shown mercy.  Jesus died on the Cross and took the penalty for us – the Just for the unjust.

It simply was not fair!  But He chose to suffer for you and me.  Max Lucado says that it wasn’t just the nails that held Jesus to the Cross – it was love.

So we can begin to put it all in perspective.  Sure there’s pain and trouble here – but one Day…!  Yes, there’s heartache and loneliness, hurt and trials and suffering – but one Day…!

Faithful trust in the Savior will be rewarded.

And in the meantime – Solomon reminds us:

We are not in this world alone!                     Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Here’s the stuff we all encounter in one way or another:

Pits and ravines (v. 10) We all fall down in some way, at some point.
Cold nights (v. 11) Sometimes it’s the cold midnight of the soul.
Wayside marauders (v. 12) When we’re simply overpowered by the day’s events.

Solomon is writing about: mishaps, loneliness, and adversity.

He says that we don’t have to face any of these alone.  It’s having someone come along side us and hold us up at the right time in our doubt, or pain, our distress, the hurt, or fear.

“I’m here.”  “I haven’t forgotten you.”  “I’m with you in this.”  “I’ve got your back.”  “You’re not alone.”  “Do you want to talk about it?”  “Have you considered the consequences?”

“I’m praying for you.”  “How can I help?”

What’s the Word – what’s the Gospel – in all this?  Our purpose is not comfort – our purpose is character.  The apostle Paul, in Romans 5, tells us that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character, and character – hope.”  (vv. 3-4)  It’s the tough times that produce character.  We can’t control our circumstances, but we can control how we respond.

When will it get better?               We draw no deadlines for God.

God always has our best interest at heart.  He says, “Trust Me anyway!  Trust Me with it.  Trust Me in it.  Trust Me through it.”

The battles of life are not easy, but our Lord gives us the equipment we need to triumph!

“A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”  (4:12)  From a believer’s standpoint and perspective – this third person can be understood as our Lord’s Holy Spirit, His presence, with us in it all!  The Lord “will never leave us nor forsake us.”    See: Hebrews 13:5   Matthew 18:20

He gives us the help, encouragement, strength – His Holy Spirit’s power – to stay steady and triumph!