Get over the Sun

Hi Everyone,

So I'm learning so much. I want to blog every day, but I feel like that my words might sound redundant and still not get across my point or the glory to the God that I'd like them to get across.

I've been reading Ecclesiastes, and although I've read it before, this is probably the FIRST time it is making SO MUCH sense. It is like it is written to confirm my experiences and show me that it's not me or my fault but JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE! I'm learning about contentment and that God really DOES just call us to be content and not constantly toiling to make things in a way that contentment might come more easily.

And I recall a while back, one of you avid readers asked me if there was a verse in the bible other than the James verse that said suffering was good for the character. Well, I said yes then but didn't know exactly where. I FOUND IT! It's in Ecclesiastes! It says that mourning is way better than laughing b/c mourning produces Godly character.

I'm also having confirmed to my heart that it is ok to be confused. It's ok if you see the wicked rewarded and the saints suffering b/c that is the way of this world under the sun. It does not mean that God is against us or that we aren't holy enough to understand things. Rather, there are many things we WON'T understand. Our call is to find peace and joy in the life we have and not constantly base our peace on understanding why this is our life. Furthermore, the reason we can do this without grumbling is because this world is not all we have. This is a nasty prelude to our beautiful eternity.

So like all the 'truths' that I try to remind myself in times of hardship or stress or suffering are all written out here CLEARLY in Ecclesiastes, and since I'm seeing them in black and white from God's word, it helps me know that they really ARE truths and not just things we Christians tell ourselves.

Read Ecclesiastes! But actually, I think the reason this book is speaking to me so deeply is because I started reading it when I was so mad and frustrated that God was allowing certain circumstances that really upset me and were not in the least bit fair to my mind. I could find no cause for them, and then wondered if it were just b/c God was really against me. I started entertaining a host of lies about God, but was led to this book, and it's really setting me straight and bringing me such freedom in the midst of circumstances that could really depress me right now. So maybe you should wait until you are frustrated and burdened and downcast before you read this book. Because I was feeling downcast and depressed, but this book is comforting me and bringing me into a gentle and quiet and joyful spirit of submission under our God who REALLY DOES love me and care for me and care when I hurt and hurt WITH me.

I think if there is a group of you out there from GFC who are feeling really burdened or frustrated with life's 'unfairness' or really depressed, that we should get together and go on a 2 month study of this book together. We can take a chapter a week or so, and read through it and talk together. I'd be up for it.

Ok. I'm gonna plan the FFN lesson now, but I wanted to let you know why I haven't been updating. I don't know how to express all the good things I'm seeing here, and I suppose it really won't even say much to you unless you are in the same state of mind. So in time, seek out Ecclesiastes. Wisdom is in realizing wisdom does not relieve us. God relieves us, and we are not meant to understand. This world is not our home. It is really much toil and vanity. Under the sun is pain, so like the words of Ecclesiastes and the Shane and Shane song, "Get over the sun."

Peace,
megIn