Title: Three Ways to Happiness
Ecclesiastes (10) 3 ways to find happiness (Ecclesiastes 4:1-6)
1. Be an Encouragement
More and more people are keeping pet dogs. If you get sick, you can spend a lot of money on surgery. When I see that, I think, “A lot of people are lonely right now!” Find such a lonely soul. Don't be saved alone and be blessed alone, work hard to find a fellow in heaven and build him up. It is especially important for God to be a comforter to the oppressed (verse 1).
The plight of the abused is miserable (verses 2-3). People living in hardship make vain confessions, saying, “I would rather not be born…”. Such nihilism is not pleasing to God. No matter how painful it may be, see yourself as valuable. Of course, the situation is understandable. How hard would it be to say that you would rather not be born like Job? Encourage such people and awaken self-worth.
To become a true comforter, you must be able to empty yourself well. When greed is excessive, happiness disappears. The great void in the soul is filled only through the joy of sharing, caring, and serving. Always have the touchstone of the purity of your life. That touchstone is the will of God. God has a special interest in the marginalized. Always listen to the lives of the marginalized, reach out to them, and give them hope to live.
2. Let go of the competitive spirit
How vain would it be if you worked hard and succeeded and received envy rather than praise? Why do people envy? This is because of excessive comparison and competition. Why do you need a break in life? This is because proper rest is a good training process to throw away the false sense of comparison and competition. The reason people do not rest well is because they are afraid that someone will overtake them. Such an obsession with competing with others makes people unhappy.
Excessive desire for victory is like a rosy chain. In other words, victory based on greed is like a rose flower, but in reality it is like a chain that binds the soul. Now, don't be too busy trying to get something. Just as all rivers flow into the sea, but they do not fill the sea, so if you make filling your goal in life, there will be no satisfaction. On the other hand, if you empty and empty again and become lighter, you will find peace in your heart.
Rest presupposes hard work. If you just play without working, your soul and body will perish (verse 5). Idleness destroys the mind. On the other hand, if you play hard and work hard, there is no time for envy. There is a saying, “A diligent bee has no time to grieve.” If you live diligently, your chances of getting hurt are also significantly lower. Happiness comes when you give up competitive and comparative consciousness and properly distribute work and rest to fulfill your vocation.
3. Let go of excessive greed.
A life of peace is a blessed life, though not both hands are full, but one hand is full (verse 6). Toil is important, but peace is more important. When working, do not work with greed, work with a mission, and do not try to go too far. If you keep your hands full, you lose peace and your life becomes meaningless. Do not try to fill both hands, hold them with one hand and share with the other.
As the kingdom prospers, Solomon becomes addicted to greed and quantityism. Later, the people's resentment was caused by the unfair tax policy, and they continued to operate new construction projects, making it difficult for the people. At first, such a building project excites the people, but later, overburdened, eventually the public dissent.
After living a goal-centered life rather than people-centered life, Solomon realized in his old age how futile his life was, and confessed, “It is better than having one hand full of peace and two hands full of toil and chasing after the wind.” Using this confession of Solomon as a teacher, stay away from materialism and materialism, strive to be a better person than a person who does many things, and always try to enter through the narrow gate according to the word of the Lord.