September 2

September 2, 2016

Ecclesiastes 3 

The book, "The Progress Paradox," was written by New Republic senior editor Gregg Easterbrook. He observes that, by every measure of well-being, our generation is better off than any of our forebearers. We enjoy more leisure time with better health, less air pollution, higher levels of education, higher per-capita income, and greater personal and civil liberties than at any other time in history. Even compared to the peaceful 1950s, our generation has it better in terms of real income and home and car ownership, not to mention mortality, education, environmental quality, and the fair treatment of minorities. Whereas, in the past, these benefits were limited to the rich and privileged, today they are realized by a wide spectrum of society. All these material measures should add up to an increased sense of well-being. But they don't. 

This is the huge paradox of our time; while we have all the outward toys and live lives that would have been considered utopian less than a century ago, unhappiness and depression are at record levels. 

Psychologist Ernest Becker said, "Psychotherapy is such a growing vogue today because people want to know why they are unhappy."  There are now 2 psycho-therapists for every dentist and more counselors than librarians. And today the incidence of depression is over 10 times greater than just 20 years ago. We are living in an age of unparalleled gloom and doom and we need an explanation. 

So how do we explain this? All we need to do is turn to King Solomon and his journal found in Ecclesiastes. Solomon abandoned God for a season in his life and when God disappeared, unhappiness showed up big time. To try to find happiness without God is like chasing after the wind.  

C.S. Lewis observed, "Our ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure," has led more people into more and more extreme (and destructive) behaviors which, in the end, devour, rather than fulfill them. The only key that unlocks the door to happiness is knowing Jesus.   

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 

To know Jesus is to have the eternal void in our hearts fulfilled. The Creator has kept the key to happiness himself. We cannot pick the lock. Only He can unlock the door to happiness. We must look to the Eternal One to have the eternal void filled. 

St. Augustine said, "Thou hast made us for thyself and the heart of man is restless until it finds rest in Thee."  All that we need in order to satisfy the emptiness inside is found in Jesus. He alone can quench the thirst of our souls. 

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