When It All Feels Like Vanity

Admittedly, it’s been quite a long time since my last post. Just like the name of my blog suggests, life is truly like a vapour, and time slips away quickly. It wasn’t my intention to be gone for so long, but life has distractions and detours, sometimes good and sometimes bad. You can relate, right? Well anyway, more seasons have come and gone and here we are approaching the spring of a new year.

Speaking of Spring, I’ve been thinking about the yard work that is just around the corner. You know, the preparation that must happen to enjoy the beauty of an outdoor space in the summer? There’s the trees and hedges to trim, the dead vegetation of the past season to remove, and the sticks to collect from the winter storms. The list can be endless. Maybe you’ve already mapped out your garden and possibly even started some seedlings? Or are you still trying to rake up all the leaves that fell and blanketed your property this Fall? In any case, the cycle of life and seasons continues beyond our control. And sometimes it can be absolutely overwhelming when the work of this life is hard.

My mind keeps going to those individuals who have suffered tremendous loss in the last year. From the hurricanes and flooding in the North Carolina and Tennessee regions, to the wildfires in California and now the East coast, life can be unpredictable and downright brutal. Floods leave a path of destruction where every personal item is damaged and potentially riddled with toxic mold. Devastating wildfires show no mercy for the wealthy or poor, causing families to sift through ashes that serve as the remnant of their property. Thousands of people remain homeless facing endless toil just to make it through each day.     

Sometimes our busy lives can feel empty and full of vanity.

Perhaps you too are feeling a sense of despair and dissatisfaction with life – for reasons other than those resulting from the natural disasters I mentioned. It may be that the tasks of your day are extremely repetitive and unfulfilling, never seeming to amount to any big accomplishment. In some cases, you may be forever laboring to seek recognition that is elusive. Maybe your job is unrewarding because the work you are performing does not align with your true passion. Or perhaps, your quest to earn the next dollar has become exhausting and unsatisfying.

What do you do when all you can ask is, “What is the point of it all?”

I just finished studying the book of Ecclesiastes with the help of a Bible study entitled, “Life Under the Sun” by Hannah Anderson. It’s startling how this book of Scripture, most likely written by King Solomon, opens with such a deep question and feeling of exasperation.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

How can a man with such wealth and power feel that life is so futile and empty?

In Chapter 2 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon reminisces about his riches and great works. He describes the houses, vineyards, gardens, orchards, and irrigation systems he built. He also details the generations of servants he acquired, the animals he owned, and the silver and gold and other treasures he accumulated as king. In addition, he did not neglect to mention the men singers, women singers, and variety of musical instruments he accrued. Solomon even built the temple in Jerusalem in his lifetime.

While many people would think that he enjoyed more than his fair share of joys in this life, Solomon still found that all these pleasures ended in emptiness. He worked hard to amass this estate, perform these feats, and add to his wisdom, but he felt something was lacking. That life was still futile despite these successes.

It’s only after much experimenting with life’s pleasures and much soul-searching (or “communing with my heart”, as the Preacher puts it) that he comes to the final conclusion on this matter.  

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

Now, I am dating myself, but when I was young, there was a wildly popular cartoon called “The Smurfs”. Maybe you are familiar with it too. It was about a village of small blue people who each had a name based upon their personality or the trait they were known to have. In this cartoon, there was one particular character called “Vanity Smurf”. He walked around with a flower in his cap and a mirror in his hand so he could spend every moment admiring his reflection.

I was too young at the time to really understand the full meaning of vanity, I just thought he really liked how he looked and couldn’t focus on anything but himself. He was easily an unlikable character who had no desire to be involved with anything that didn’t exalt him. As an adult, I can understand that vanity is so much more than that. When we’re always looking in the mirror, life begins to feel empty and full of…nothing. Instead, we need to fix our eyes on something or someone else. We need to fix our eyes on the Lord and the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. 

Our hope is in the crucifixion, for not only our salvation, but a life full of purpose.  

In Hannah Anderson’s study, she reminds us of the beautiful poem written by Charles T. Studd (1860-1931), a missionary to China, India and Africa:

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
 
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice;
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
Living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

Along with the reassuring and honest words from the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, this poem serves as an inspiration to live each of the days we are given working for those things that will last and fulfill our purpose under Heaven.

Of course, there will be an abundance of mundane tasks we must complete in our everyday life. Not everything is going to be thrilling, nor will we always be able to see the fruits of our labor. But if we realize that Earth’s pleasures do not satisfy, we can gain liberty from a life of vanity by working with our eyes set on eternity.

Ponder this.

Our days on this Earth are very short. There is a distinct brevity to this life that we acknowledge with each passing day. James reminds us of this fact.

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

This truth should make us pay attention. One day our life is going to end. How have you used the time the Lord has granted you under the sun? Will you live for self or in His will?

What will you do with this day you’ve been given? How will you make it matter for His Kingdom?