Ecclesiastes 7-12

Today was a rare day when I took not one nap, but two!  And I really needed at least three or four.  God is good and gracious and has given us a wonderful Father’s Day.  I got to see my dad at breakfast and enjoy the grill and the pool with my husband and daughter.  Sweet summer indeed.

These later chapters in Ecclesiastes shift from an “everything is meaningless” theme to one that stresses the importance of taking joy in the work of our hands for the glory of God.

We are warned against worrying about those things that are beyond our control:

He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

If we stand around wringing our hands waiting for the perfect weather conditions, for example, we will never plant seed.  I am a walking example of this truth!  How many times have I been paralyzed with indecision due to anxiety?  Too many to count!

Perhaps I should begin an anti-anxiety file in which I keep a list verses from the Word that speak into this anxiety.  If so, the one above will surely be among them.  One of the things I dislike even more than panic attacks is having a dreaded task hanging over my head until it gets completed.  I’ve learned the fastest way to deal with unpleasant duties is to get them finished first.

Putting them off until later is just chasing after wind.