Ecc 1:2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Not that long ago, I waded through a bit of an existential crisis. In less than five years, my boys will be in college and I will be able to retire. But I have defined myself as a mother and a teacher for so long, the idea of not having those roles first and foremost as my driving force filled me with panic. If I am not a mother and a teacher, who am I?
Ecc 1:3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
It was a huge, painful, necessary wake up call, and a journey I’m still on—discovering my purpose. But the crux of my crisis is the central idea of Ecclesiastes: Without God at my center, nothing in my life has meaning or worth. With Him as my core, everything has the ability to draw me closer to Him.
Ecc 1:4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I am Your deeply loved child—first, foremost, always. My meaning comes from You. My purpose is found in You. Thank You for the roles You allow me to fulfill—wife, mother, friend, teacher, etc. Help me never to lose sight of the fact that being Your beloved is the core of my identity. Draw me closer. Amen.
Ecc 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
Have a blessed day.