Don’t Wait to Live | Ecclesiastes: Finding What Matters in a Life That Passes, Part 9
Key Truth | The life God has given us is meant to be lived faithfully and enjoyed today, not continually postponed while we wait for a better season.
Key Scripture | “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” — Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NKJV)
It’s amazing how easily we can spend our lives preparing for a season when we believe we’ll finally have time to enjoy life. We tell ourselves that once things slow down, once the kids are older, once we’ve accomplished a few more goals, or once we’ve reached a certain place financially, we’ll be able to live a little differently.
The problem is that life rarely slows down on its own. And the future we’re waiting for has a way of becoming the present before we realize how quickly the years have passed.
In Ecclesiastes 9, Solomon confronts the reality that life is both uncertain and limited. He reminds us that none of us knows how much time we have, and because of that, we should approach the days we’ve been given with intentionality.
What’s interesting is that Solomon doesn’t respond to life’s brevity by encouraging us to withdraw from it. He does the opposite. He tells us to enjoy our meals, celebrate life, love our spouses, and give ourselves fully to the work before us.
The uncertainty of tomorrow should make us more intentional about today.
I’ve spent much of my life looking ahead. Dreaming about what could be, believing God for what hasn’t happened yet, and working toward things that sometimes took years to become reality. That has been a wonderful part of my journey, and I wouldn’t trade it. But I’m learning that there’s a danger in becoming so focused on the future that we begin treating the present as something we simply need to get through.
I think about how quickly our children grow up, how relationships change, and how moments we once considered ordinary eventually become memories we wish we could experience again.
There are seasons we don’t recognize as special until they’re gone.
Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 9:9 about enjoying life with the wife you love. I appreciate how practical that instruction is. He doesn’t describe some extraordinary accomplishment or spiritual experience. He points us toward the people and simple gifts God has already placed in our lives.
Sometimes we make enjoying life far more complicated than God intended.
We assume meaningful living requires something significant to happen, when often it’s found in being fully present for what is already happening.
But Solomon also tells us to work with all our might. He’s not encouraging laziness or a life without responsibility. He’s reminding us that the opportunities in front of us deserve our best because they won’t always be available.
There’s a balance here that I believe is important. We shouldn’t be so consumed with enjoying life that we neglect our responsibilities, but neither should we become so consumed with responsibility that we forget to enjoy life.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came so we might have life and have it more abundantly. That abundant life isn’t simply about having more possessions or experiences. It’s about living in the fullness of what He makes possible through a relationship with Him.
I don’t want to reach the end of my life with a long list of accomplishments but a heart full of regrets over moments I missed.
I want to work hard, love well, laugh often, enjoy my family, and remain faithful to what God has called me to do. And I want to do those things now, not someday when everything finally settles down.
Don’t spend so much time preparing for the life you want that you forget to live the life God has already given you.
Life is too short to spend it chasing what cannot satisfy, and too sacred to waste what God has entrusted to us.
Reflection
Prayer | Father, thank You for the gift of today. Help me recognize the opportunities, relationships, and moments You’ve placed before me. Keep me from constantly postponing joy while waiting for a better season. Teach me to work faithfully, love intentionally, and enjoy the life You’ve given me. I want to live with purpose without missing the beauty of the present. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Additional Scripture
Key Scripture | “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” — Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NKJV)
It’s amazing how easily we can spend our lives preparing for a season when we believe we’ll finally have time to enjoy life. We tell ourselves that once things slow down, once the kids are older, once we’ve accomplished a few more goals, or once we’ve reached a certain place financially, we’ll be able to live a little differently.
The problem is that life rarely slows down on its own. And the future we’re waiting for has a way of becoming the present before we realize how quickly the years have passed.
In Ecclesiastes 9, Solomon confronts the reality that life is both uncertain and limited. He reminds us that none of us knows how much time we have, and because of that, we should approach the days we’ve been given with intentionality.
What’s interesting is that Solomon doesn’t respond to life’s brevity by encouraging us to withdraw from it. He does the opposite. He tells us to enjoy our meals, celebrate life, love our spouses, and give ourselves fully to the work before us.
The uncertainty of tomorrow should make us more intentional about today.
I’ve spent much of my life looking ahead. Dreaming about what could be, believing God for what hasn’t happened yet, and working toward things that sometimes took years to become reality. That has been a wonderful part of my journey, and I wouldn’t trade it. But I’m learning that there’s a danger in becoming so focused on the future that we begin treating the present as something we simply need to get through.
I think about how quickly our children grow up, how relationships change, and how moments we once considered ordinary eventually become memories we wish we could experience again.
There are seasons we don’t recognize as special until they’re gone.
Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 9:9 about enjoying life with the wife you love. I appreciate how practical that instruction is. He doesn’t describe some extraordinary accomplishment or spiritual experience. He points us toward the people and simple gifts God has already placed in our lives.
Sometimes we make enjoying life far more complicated than God intended.
We assume meaningful living requires something significant to happen, when often it’s found in being fully present for what is already happening.
But Solomon also tells us to work with all our might. He’s not encouraging laziness or a life without responsibility. He’s reminding us that the opportunities in front of us deserve our best because they won’t always be available.
There’s a balance here that I believe is important. We shouldn’t be so consumed with enjoying life that we neglect our responsibilities, but neither should we become so consumed with responsibility that we forget to enjoy life.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came so we might have life and have it more abundantly. That abundant life isn’t simply about having more possessions or experiences. It’s about living in the fullness of what He makes possible through a relationship with Him.
I don’t want to reach the end of my life with a long list of accomplishments but a heart full of regrets over moments I missed.
I want to work hard, love well, laugh often, enjoy my family, and remain faithful to what God has called me to do. And I want to do those things now, not someday when everything finally settles down.
Don’t spend so much time preparing for the life you want that you forget to live the life God has already given you.
Life is too short to spend it chasing what cannot satisfy, and too sacred to waste what God has entrusted to us.
Reflection
- What am I continually postponing until life slows down, and what would it look like to begin enjoying that part of my life today?
- Am I giving my best to the people and opportunities God has placed before me, or am I so focused on the future that I'm missing the present?
Prayer | Father, thank You for the gift of today. Help me recognize the opportunities, relationships, and moments You’ve placed before me. Keep me from constantly postponing joy while waiting for a better season. Teach me to work faithfully, love intentionally, and enjoy the life You’ve given me. I want to live with purpose without missing the beauty of the present. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Additional Scripture
- Ecclesiastes 9:7–10 — Enjoying life and working wholeheartedly
- Psalm 118:24 — Rejoicing in the day God has made
- John 10:10 — The abundant life Jesus gives
- Colossians 3:23–24 — Working wholeheartedly for the Lord
- James 4:13–15 — The uncertainty of tomorrow
- Ephesians 5:15–17 — Making the most of our time
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what God is speaking to you as you read these devotionals. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our devotional emails right to your inbox, hit the subscribe button below and invite your family and friends to subscribe as well! Thank you for being a part of our Opendoor Devotional Community. We appreciate you!
No Comments