Finding Joy in the Mission Field
I'm twenty-seven years old now. Ten years ago, I used to write in my journals in the corner of my room because I loved to write. I never imagined that, ten years later, hundreds of people would be reading them. Little by little, I got to know Him, but I still don't fully understand Him. I'm slowly learning to trust Him in the things I can't comprehend.
As you grow older, you realize how important every season of life is because it's just a passing phase. I miss those younger years when I started to get to know Jesus, like a teenager experiencing excitement about Him, witnessing miracles, having prayers answered, and encountering Him. One thing I miss now is when our pastor used to encourage us to join mission camps or outreach programs.
Our weekends used to be filled with ministry activities, and it was really exciting as a young believer. After our pastor passed away, we never had the chance to visit the kids we used to minister to, and we became close to them because we met every Saturday or Sunday. Whenever I went there, I saw hope because the kids were happy and content with their lives, despite having very little.
There were times when we had to walk barefoot because of high tides. I look back now and realize that I'm in a different season of life. My schedule is no longer focused on church ministries, and I used to think that only "church things" mattered to God. I've come to understand that we can honor and draw closer to Him anywhere, as every place can be our mission field.
Mid-Twenties Pressures and Worries: Navigating the Transition with Grace
Now, in my mid-twenties, I fear seeing my parents getting older day by day. It's a different kind of fear. Will they be there when I become successful? Will they be present if I can give them the life they dream of? Will broken relationships be restored? Will the people close to my heart be healed? Sometimes, questions like these come to mind. Will I find someone? Will I get married and have a family? What I realize now is, the questions I should be asking are, "Will this matter in the end?" Will it matter when everything passes in the blink of an eye?
When I was younger, I was afraid my crush wouldn't like me, or that I'd get low marks on my report card, but now these things don't matter. (LOL)
As time passes, the vigor and vitality of our younger days weaken, our youthful glow fades away, and little by little, we turn to dust. I'm learning that God is in control, while I am not. I may fail, but He doesn't. I have worries, but He doesn't. I change, yet He remains unchanged. I may fear the future, but He holds it. When worries come, I turn to His Word for solace.
I love Ecclesiastes - whenever life feels absurd or uncertain, it is a beautiful reminder of who God is and who we are as humans. We are limited, frail, weak, and prone to temptation. Thus, we need our Lord, our Creator, in all the days of our lives. Imagine King Solomon, the wisest and richest King in the Old Testament, wrote this book. Despite having everything, he begins by saying, "All is Vanity," delivering hard truths that may ache our hearts if we're constantly in pursuit of more in this life.
1 The words of the Preacher,[a] the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity[b] of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?Ecclesiastes 1:1-2; 11
11 There is no remembrance of former things,[d]
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things[e] yet to be
among those who come after.
Does It Matter in the End? Contemplating the Purpose and Finality of Life
I remember that Pastor Lando would always say, "Serve the Lord, everything will have a purpose. But the things you want for yourselves, they don't matter in the end." He understood our hearts and believed that our personal desires won't really matter in the grand scheme of things. What's truly important are the lessons he taught us and the life he shared with us. We were taught to plan for the future, set meaningful goals, and acquire the things we desire, all of which are good. But will these things really matter in the long run, say, a hundred years from now?
I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 1:16
In the second chapter, the author discussed different types of vanities: the vanity of self-indulgence, the vanity of living wisely, and the vanity of toil. Self-indulgence - how many of us seek out pleasures and enjoy them to the fullest? We often say, "I deserve this!" or "Once I achieve this milestone, I will truly be happy in life." The idea of self-improvement is popular now; it's good to work on ourselves to be healthy and not be a burden on society. However, some people take it to the extreme, turning these pursuits into idols. And sometimes we may found ourselves in that space too, no one is exempted.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.
Ecclesiastes 2:1
So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:9-11
Second is the vanity of living wisely. There's an abundance of hacks, steps, and advice on how to live wisely readily available. It can be overwhelming to sift through all this information to find what actually works. How do you find the right one? How do you take the steps to be successful and wise in life? We're fortunate to have a wealth of helpful information, such as podcasts and YouTube, as the internet has become a vast resource for learning how to live wisely. However, I recently read an article stating that despite this generation being the smartest, it is also the most depressed.
We don't need to know everything; we don't have the capacity to know everything, and that's okay!
12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness.
Ecclesiastes 2:12-13
The third vanity is the futility of work. Have you ever enjoyed the fruit of your labor, no matter how small or big it is? According to this, those who please God are given wisdom, knowledge, and joy. If you have joy, my dear, you're on the right track. Unfortunately, many of us can't find joy anymore. We rush day by day, cramming and running towards our life goals, only to end up feeling empty and tired. This is like striving after the wind.
24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment[c] in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him[d] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
A Time to Break Down, and a Time to Build Up
In my favorite chapter, there's a verse that says there is a time for everything. It's both comforting and difficult to accept when going through tough times and wondering why we have to endure certain seasons. It's a promise that after a period of mourning, there will be joy.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
There is a time to break down, and a time to build up – what a wonderful promise to those who are at their breaking points and experiencing difficult times in their lives. When I was twenty-five, I was silently breaking, losing faith, and feeling lost. Now, I realize that just like the song, the flowers bloom in the valley. It took me years to find my way out of the maze, and I wouldn't have grown without that difficult season. It was painful and hard, but it turned out to be beautiful.
We must cherish the season we're in because God has made everything beautiful in its time. He wants us to grow in obedience, even if it means experiencing agony. It may not make sense, so why not trust Him regardless of the season we're in?
Evil Under the Sun
4 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-2
And days are becoming evil. Thus, Ephesians 5:15-16 reminds us to 'Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.'
At times, we are surprised why war comes, tensions arise, and many evil things happen around us. But the Bible has been telling us that the days to come are evil. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. These were terrible days already, as described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Lo and behold, we are already in these days.
So, what should we do? How can I find joy in my youth?
Fear God
5 [a] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
Ecclesiastes 5:1
It seems that this verse has just sunk in for me. Do I really fear God? He is a Holy God who deserves honor, praise, and glory. How do we know if we truly fear Him? We need to guard our steps and draw closer to Him more than focusing on our offerings, sacrifices, and efforts. How difficult is it to draw closer to Him? To fulfill the promises and vows we made when we first knew Him. How many of us still remember and keep the faith by walking in obedience?
Can I enjoy my life?
The Vanity of Wealth and Honor
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment[h] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-19
Have you ever found true enjoyment? The world often tells us to achieve so many things before we can enjoy life, when in fact true enjoyment comes from God. Many people seem to have it all, yet find emptiness on them and hide their sadness behind happy social media posts. It is God who gives us enjoyment, even in the little things, and fills the cup of those who come to Him with empty hands and hearts. Those who fear God will do well, not because they have everything in the world, but because they have the only One they need in their life.
In the end, we will all turn into dust, so instead of worrying about the past or the future, we must take heart and enjoy each breath.
This is one of my favorite verses.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain[b] life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,[c] for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Ecclesiastes 9: 9-10
Someone asked me, "How do you view your life? Is it something that you need to solve, or is it something that you need to enjoy? It feels like in every season, there is a problem to be solved, and at times, I forget to enjoy and truly live. This verse is so reassuring that time is fleeting – we must enjoy it with our loved ones and give our best. In the grave, there won't be any more planning, goals, or anything else. Living wholeheartedly and giving our best effort while enjoying every breath we breathe and every step we take.
Cast Your Bread upon the Waters
Cast your bread upon the waters,
Ecclesiastes 11:1-4
for you will find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth..
How many of us can be selfless, give generously to others, and prioritize others before ourselves? In faith, we can be generous, do good things, serve others, and have hope that God will bless us abundantly. As it is written in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain[c] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
Rejoice in your youth! Young ladies, even if you're in this season while everyone is focusing on relationships and marriage, feeling like you've been left behind because you're still navigating your journey as a single person. Young men, feeling pressured as well?
We can still rejoice in this season, grow in His character, work out our faith, and be like Paul who pursues God, is deeply in love, and content with His love for Jesus. If it's His will for us to enjoy the married life, to enter that season, we will be joyful. But even if not yet, we are still joyful knowing that it doesn't affect our worship because our worship is all for Jesus. We're in a constant change of season, and in the end, all is vanity – it won't matter.
What matters most is that the time spent here will have an impact in eternity, that we'll bring souls for Him, and finish the race with faith and hope, loving Him and enjoying God while we are here, and longing for Him until we can spend time with Jesus in eternity. What would the feeling be like to meet our Savior face to face, to hug Him, and have Him tell us, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[c] 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with[d] every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14