Ecclesiastes 2:26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
We have talked about the correlation between wisdom and happiness already this month, but see it come up again in today’s verse. In previous devotions we saw that wisdom changes us both inside and out, transforming our faces. We learned how those with God’s wisdom are blessed with happiness. And today we see that to the person who pleases God, wisdom and happiness are given.
Just as wisdom is a gift from God, so is joy and happiness. True happiness comes directly from God. It bubbles forth from within us. Our cups overflow (Psalms 23:5). It is not from our own efforts that joy and happiness flow, but from God Himself. We can try all we like to find happiness on our own,and we might just find it but it is temporary and worldly. It does not last. Besides, once you experience true joy from the Lord you will find that worldly joy doesn’t compare.
Each day is a gift from God and each day brings new joys. Praise Him and thank Him for the gifts He blesses you with. He will find pleasure in your faithfulness and He will reward you with wisdom and happiness.
On the other hand, the sinner faces consequences for his poor choices. He works and works, toiling endlessly only to hand everything over to the one who pleases God.
Don’t be like the sinner. Don’t work hard only to lose everything because of the sinful choices you have made. Make good choices from the start. Be pleasing to God and let Him bless you.
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