There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand, because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.     Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 HCSB

The secret of life has been written as song titles. It has been listed in many literary works. But what is the secret of life? Solomon ponders the futility of life in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon was said in 1 Kings 4:29-31 to be the wisest man on earth.

Solomon asked God for wisdom and God gave it abundantly as James tells us He will do in James 1:5. In Ecclesiastes 1:2 Solomon describes life as vanity meaning all things of life are futile.  Solomon was not only a man of great wisdom, but God also blessed Him with great wealth.

In Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Solomon speaks of how his pursuit of fulfillment through indulging in achievements, possessions, and wealth all failed to bring him lasting satisfaction. He goes on in vv. 12-22 to speak of his successor. He speaks of how his successor will face the same problems without any better solution.

He despairs over leaving all the fruits of his labor to someone else. In vv. 22-23 he speaks of the absence of gratifying reward for his work.

In our Scripture passage, vv. 24-26, Solomon concludes with a solution. His solution is for us to enjoy life to the fullest and recognize it as a gift from God.

We will face many situations when we don’t understand the reason for what is happening in our lives. We may not understand God’s timing in certain situations. We must remember, however, that God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). God has a reason for what takes place and the timing of it.

It’s not for us to always know why. We are to praise and worship God in all circumstances and trust in Him. We must trust in God at all times. We must trust that He knows what is best for us. We must have faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us without faith it is impossible to please God.

Solomon reminds us of the importance of obedience. He concludes chapter two by saying that we should enjoy the life God has given us while being obedient to God. He goes on to say that those who are disobedient become gatherers giving to and laboring for those who are obedient.

According to Solomon the secret of life is obedience.

If you want to truly enjoy life, you must trust and obey. The hymn Trust and Obey was written by John H. Sammis in 1887 for placement in the Methodist Hymnal. The lyrics tells us to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

These words ring true my friend. The secret to a life of peace and contentment in Jesus Christ is found in our trust and obedience. Trust in Him today and commit to be obedient to His word.

In v. 25 of today’s Scripture passage, Solomon says, “…who can enjoy life apart from Him?” My friend if you have been searching for the secret of life, search no further. Jesus is the answer. Simply trust in Him and obey His commands.

This is how to find true joy and contentment in the life we live here on earth. It’s also the way to guarantee eternal life with our Lord and Savior.

Have a great day!