ChaSIng ThE wINd

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NLT) says "But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless--like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere."

This is a very common phrase usage in the Bible. Wonder why? Maybe because if we're not chasing God, we are "chasing the wind". A circular path that has no definite destination, a string of meaningless tasks, a point that adds no virtue or value.

Have you ever tried to catch the wind in your hands?

It is literally the most time consuming, fruitless, ineffective, wasting of energy and effort there is on the planet. You can gain nothing from this futile exercise. Why? Because one, it is not possible to achieve this feat. And two, there is nothing to be gained that holds value or merit even if you could accomplish this task. In the magical whimsy in the mind of a child, they may think this is worth the effort and they may even find it challenging to try to do it, even though all the adults in their life watch them, knowing it will not happen. They probably view the wind as a convenient but unseen babysitter that gives them a spell from their arduous every day. But honestly, most recognize that this is just not time well spent. Still so many adults that I know personally waste their efforts, traipsing down the same unproductive path they have in the past, and still expect a varied result. Basically, they make the same mistakes, thinking the outcome will change each time.

King Solomon spoke often about the fruitlessness of life and wasted energy. What do you value in this life and/or the next life? What do you see as precious? What do you see as worthless? People throw hundreds of dollars into the stock market daily because they believe that a company has the propensity to produce profitability and their product is worth purchasing and using so they invest. They want to capitalize on the boom that's taking place. Where do you place your valuable insights? What value do you place on your time? What energy do you put into relationships? What conversations, in person and online, do you invest time in listening to? How do you spend your free time? I think King Solomon is onto something. He encourages us to fear God, which is the starting path to attaining wisdom. If you can live in peace with the little that you have, (which I guess could be considered a minimalist lifestyle) then it is perceived to be better than chasing after things that are not worthy of attaining and missing out on what is important and valuable.

"Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV)

I watch friends, family, and church mates buck against the authority they are under, clamoring and chasing after things that tantalize their flesh. All the while, they are being drawn away from what matters the most. Not much different than the thinking in that eighteenth verse of the opening passage.

"...For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The stuff that we waste our time going after is not worthy of achieving if it doesn't better us spiritually. We can have all the frills of the "good life" and all the popularity and all the accolades, but if we retain a soul that is still out of alignment with the "manufacturer's" purpose and plans, then we as the "product", are ineffective, of little use, and carrying diminishing value. Our value comes from not only our proximity to Him who has forged us into existence but also in the functionality of the purpose we are called into. A life without purpose is a life wasted.

We all want lasting happiness and we all want value but either we don't know where to find it or we don't know what true value looks like when we see it. Bigger paycheck. Multiple intimate relationships. Fuller bank accounts. An abundance of hobbies. A larger family. A bigger house. The list goes on.

What are you chasing? What are the priorities in your life? How much time do you invest in those priorities? Are you able to detect a tangible result for all of your works and energies? Or are you running into a wall at every turn?

If nothing else, I just want to encourage all of you that despite all the bad theology out there and the horrible role teachers in our social and spiritual circles giving us the wrong advice, we have hope. Wisdom seems hidden at times but it is easily locate-able. When I was at my wit's end, and the only options I could see were dark and pretty permanent. I called out to God (despite limited knowledge and no relationship with Him to speak of) and he gave me answers that led me to a peace I hadn't experienced in ever.

You are not as far away from those answers as you think you are. Please don't give up hope and please don't think you have no other way out. It is a lie and not the truth. Just like the initial passage in 2 Corinthians teaches us, we are not to focus on things around us, meaning current circumstances, people issues, etc. They won't always last and they will eventually fade. They are, in effect, temporary. What is permanent and forever? What makes your life worthwhile? What adds to yours and the lives of others? What challenges you to step out beyond your limitations and previous foul ups? What enriches you and takes you beyond what you think or imagine? What brings you true joy?

You can answer in your own way but my answer is God. Instead of chasing what He has made, I simply chose to chase the Source instead. Maybe someday you can see that as worth your time and energy. Please let us know if this blog has inspired and touched you personally. Thank you for reading.

"Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them." ~ Russell H. Conwell