I’ve never paid too much attention to the book of Ecclesiastes, and have even heard that Solomon was a little off his rocker when he wrote it near the end of his life. By then, of course, he had been pulled away from his devout love of God by his foreign wives, who influenced him to do all sorts of terrible and idolatrous things.
But Ecclesiastes is chock full of wisdom–it’s just a sort of wry and slightly jaded wisdom, and its truths aren’t exactly what a lot of folks want to hear. Give it a read sometime soon, and you’ll see what I mean.
I particularly loved this passage found in chapter six:
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.
A friend of mine used to paraphrase this by saying, “A lot of people spend all their time wishing for things they could have if they didn’t spend all their time wishing.”
And this verse: Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.
Lots of folks who imagine themselves champions of their own destiny will be dismayed to read this. But nonetheless, it’s true. God, who is eternal and lives outside of time, has already written the book of our lives, and the story includes the choices we freely make/made. It’s all been decided in eternity. But we live in in the present, so our choices are free and real to us.
And here’s a great verse for a writer/speaker: The more words you speak, the less they mean. So why overdo it?
Why, indeed?
Over and out,
Angie
Latest posts by Angela Hunt (see all)
- The Heirs of Cahira O’Connor - March 2, 2026
- My Writing Philosophy . . . - February 16, 2026
- Solomon and his ramblings - February 2, 2026
Angie – As a student, I always appreciated Ecclesiates 12:12, though it also fits my work as a writer now. “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” 🙂
Amen to that!
I once heard a pastor say he didn’t expect to see Solomon in heaven, due to the path he took with his wives, idols,… This opened many questions about him, so I always appreciate hearing observations and insights about him. It seems ironic that my heart can ache for someone who had so much.
The “enjoy what you have” passage is a frequent prayer for my college age daughter.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Solomon and his ramblings.
Thanks for stopping by!
I love the “enjoy what you have” verse. My mom was such a contented person. Even early in my parents’ marriage when they were scraping by and trying to establish the farm I grew up on, my mom constantly counted her blessings and apparently taught me to do the same, because true contentment is one of the gifts from God that I am most grateful for.
Contentment is a virtue we see less and less these days . . . as a nation, we have so much, and we want more NOW! Lord, help all of us to be more content and patient.