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WH E R E T HE RE ' S A W IL L T HE RE ' S A WAY • •
An empty existence
READ: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
WHEN YOU READ
ECCLESIASTES 2:1 TO 11,
YOU MEET A MAN WHO
TRIED HIS HAND AT MANY
PROJECTS - HE PLANTED
VINEYARDS AND BUILT
HOUSES. ONE PICKS UP
AN ENTERPRISING SPIRIT
WHEN YOU READ HOW
HE DESIGNED GARDENS,
PARKS AND ORCHARDS
AND BUILT IRRIGATION
DAMS.
I
am sure that such a person
must have commanded
respect and admiration in his
environment and that he would
have been able to look back with
satisfaction at everything he
achieved at the end of his life.
But then the surprise in verse 11:
“Yet, when I surveyed all that my
hands had done and what I had
toiled to achieve, everything was
REV CAREL BOTMA
meaningless, a chasing after the
wind; nothing was gained under
the sun.” Not even wine satisfied
him!
In the last article I talked about
the dissatisfaction and discontent
ment which we so often struggle
with. It is experienced by people
with less than others, but also
by people who own a lot. Yes,
the crops are good and the cattle
in excellent condition. Things
are going well at work and my
business reflects good profits.
Everybody at home is healthy and
we go on holiday regularly. But
nothing makes me happy any
more - not even an expensive gift.
It is as if something is missing
and you cannot put your finger
on it. Your life feels empty, useless
and without purpose. Everything
is cast into a boring and deadly
cycle. Sometimes you are over
come by a strange melancholy and
sadness. The answer: You should
look for substance in your life!
When I explained the nature of
stress some time ago, I said that
we collect resources (objects,
property, people, health, etcetera)
and that these resources are very
important, since it determines
your position and your identity in
society. In itself there is nothing
wrong with it, but the problem
comes when our resources become
the only thing which determines
your identity. More so, we fever
ishly gather resources because
it makes us more acceptable in
society. And when thieves, ill
health, drought, death, etcetera,
threaten to decrease or destroy
your resources and your identity,
acceptability in society and by
implication your place in society is
threatened, it makes us very anx
ious! The continuous risk of losing
the most important resources in
your life and the attempts to pro
tect these resources at all costs, are
so exhausting that you run the risk
of emotional burn-out. You are so
exhausted by having to perform
the whole time!! Everything is a
chasing after wind... nothing satis
fies in this world.
At a stage you ask yourself the
damning question: Who am I
really? I have been so busy build
ing my identity around what was
regarded as socially acceptable,
that my true identity never had
the opportunity to develop spon
taneously. If you do not have an
identity, your life will be empty.
Life loses its sense, direction
and meaninig. And nothing can
change it. You find yourself on a
lonely road…
SENWES Scenario • OCT/NOV 2017
41