Special Note: As with last week’s emphasis on Ephesians, this week (and maybe some of next) will focus on Ecclesiastes, my favorite book of the Bible. In particular, I’ll focus on the purpose and meaning of life as discussed by this book. For an overview, see my sermon, Live Life in Light of Death. I encourage you to read one chapter of the book daily to go along with these devotions.

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 7

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.
Ecclesiastes 7:3

There’s freedom, release, in letting go of the chase and finding contentment. 

That’s where we left Ecclesiastes on Tuesday. But as challenging as it is to find contentment, and to understand the teachings of Ecclesiastes, what are we to make of The Teacher’s commentary here? Surely, we all would prefer to be glad than sad. 

I can be a bit of a hedonist. At times in my life where I have felt sad, I have sought pleasures through buying things or experiences. I have sough to replace or, more often, deny the sorrow I feel by pursuing things I think will make me happy. 

Of course, we’ve seen so far from The Teacher, and we know from our own lived experience, that such is folly. The Teacher would have us know that here, too. But there’s yet a deeper truth. We cannot know what it is to be glad, truly glad, without having been sad. 

It’s one of the paradoxes of life. Holidays are special because they only come around once a year; otherwise, they would just be normal. What makes life itself special is death, for without death, why would we seek to make anything of our lives? To know a wonderful thing, we must also know it’s opposite. 

So sorrow is better than laughter, for through having been sorrow, we know what it is to be truly glad. And if we know what it is to be truly glad, we are less likely to chase after hedonistic pleasures.

Think
When have I chased after something for pleasure, only to realize I was running away from sorrow or another hard emotion. 

Pray
Ask God to give you wisdom about what you learned or could still learn from that experience.

Do
Allow yourself to feel as you do today, knowing that it’s a gift, even if it’s hard and uncomfortable. 

Think, Pray, Do. As we respond in faith to scripture, God moves in power through our minds, hearts, and bodies. We are the people of God. Thanks for reading today. Go in peace. Amen.

Think, Pray, Do devotionals by Ted Goshorn follow the suggested bible reading plan from his website and book, Prayer Changes Us. Find this Bible reading plan at tedgoshorn.org/biblereading. If you have found today’s devotion helpful, don’t forget to subscribe for daily emails at tedgoshorn.org and share with others that we may think, pray, and do faithfully.