S) "10 Do not say, 'Why is it that the former days were better than these?'
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this."
Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NASB)
O) This is very direct, very blunt, very brutal truth. When a person is musing about "the good ol' days" or reminiscing about "the glory days" and they ask something along the lines of, "what happened..." or the like, they might offer up myriad reasons why they are asking, but it really all comes down to one thing. They are dissatisfied with their current circumstance and they are throwing a fit, to some degree. I'm all for learning from mistakes, but ultimately, the Preacher (author of Eccl.) is right, it's not really wisdom to ponder it this way. Ultimately, if we are dissatisfied with a present circumstance, we need to seek God and His counsel will direct us. It's a matter of humbling ourselves before Him, accepting that our circumstances, however uncomfortable, miserable, or painful, might actually be His will for us in that moment, as well. Wisdom comes from the LORD, not from musings about our past.
A) When I was a senior in H.S., my calculus teacher, an old german man named Mr. Lutz, said something that really made an impact with me. He said he pitied people who thought that H.S. was the best years of their life, because it meant that the rest of their life was pretty bad. So, I made the determination that I will see life as progressively better and better. So now, I simply choose not to believe that any of my former days were better than these. I know it's fairly easy to say that in my present circumstances, but I am also setting my heart in determination that I will choose to believe that, even if I face much more difficult times to come. God is exceedingly good and, as long as I am following His will, He will prosper me according to His definition of prosperity, and I will accept that He knows better than I do, regarding what is true prosperity, what is truly good for me, etc.
P) Father, You have been exceedingly good to me. The graces I see in my past, the grace I see in my marriage, in my kids, in my current job... I know that Your grace is also beyond my perception. I'm going forward into some unknown parts of my future, but I am placing my trust firmly in Your will. If, or even when, times might get hard, I am trusting that those hard times are still the best possible circumstances, according to Your will for me. So, Holy Spirit, let me find Your direction and voice quickly and clearly, so that I am putting myself and my family firmly in the center of Your will, Your plan, and the best possible life we could have. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
A) When I was a senior in H.S., my calculus teacher, an old german man named Mr. Lutz, said something that really made an impact with me. He said he pitied people who thought that H.S. was the best years of their life, because it meant that the rest of their life was pretty bad. So, I made the determination that I will see life as progressively better and better. So now, I simply choose not to believe that any of my former days were better than these. I know it's fairly easy to say that in my present circumstances, but I am also setting my heart in determination that I will choose to believe that, even if I face much more difficult times to come. God is exceedingly good and, as long as I am following His will, He will prosper me according to His definition of prosperity, and I will accept that He knows better than I do, regarding what is true prosperity, what is truly good for me, etc.
P) Father, You have been exceedingly good to me. The graces I see in my past, the grace I see in my marriage, in my kids, in my current job... I know that Your grace is also beyond my perception. I'm going forward into some unknown parts of my future, but I am placing my trust firmly in Your will. If, or even when, times might get hard, I am trusting that those hard times are still the best possible circumstances, according to Your will for me. So, Holy Spirit, let me find Your direction and voice quickly and clearly, so that I am putting myself and my family firmly in the center of Your will, Your plan, and the best possible life we could have. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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