"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live." Ecclesiastes 3:1-12 (NIV)
This passage was written by King Solomon at the end of his life. Solomon was a man who had enjoyed everything life could offer, and now he reflects on what he has learned about life.
Reading Ecclesiastes, we find some rather pessimistic views on life. The most famous phrase from the book is “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” Some people even get angry reading it, feeling that a person who has had everything suddenly saying it’s all meaningless is frustrating. It’s like working hard to save up for a dream car, skipping treats and vacations, only for a friend who already has the car to tell you, "It’s not that great." Of course, this might make you feel upset, as though your own values are being invalidated.
But is Scripture trying to make us feel deprived, or guilty for how we live? Is it pushing us into a sense of helplessness? Absolutely not. On the contrary, the Bible is a guide that helps us find true value and happiness in whatever situation we are in. While Solomon may have penned Ecclesiastes, the Holy Spirit is the true author, showing us important lessons about life through Solomon’s experience. What truth can we discover from this?
We tend to think that we must define our own standards for life. We trust our own judgments about what is valuable or worthy. However, when you think deeply, you realize that our internal standards for happiness are often shallow and easily swayed. Who can truly define the value of life—ourselves?
In reality, the definitions of happiness and success that we hold onto might come not from within, but from success stories circulating on social media, expectations pushed by our parents, or even messages we’ve heard in church, all mixed together.
The world has certain expectations: you should graduate college between 23 and 25, land a good job right away, and make six figures to be considered successful. But interestingly, if someone wins the lottery and makes millions, we don’t call them successful—we say they’re lucky. So we know that money alone doesn’t define success. The definitions of success and happiness are often vague. There’s also pressure, particularly within the Korean community, that men and women should get married before they turn 30.
Furthermore, we see people on social media quitting their jobs in middle age to pursue their passions or achieving a sudden turnaround in life, and these rare 0.001% success stories become our standard. At first, such stories might motivate us to break free from our current reality, but as we look around, the contrast with our own situation might leave us feeling more confused and discouraged.
So what defines the golden time in our lives? Is it the world’s standards? Our parents’ expectations? Our own feelings? No, the Bible is clear:
"What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 (NIV)
It is God who determines the value of our lives. When we trust that God—not ourselves or the world—holds the key to our life’s worth, we gain the right perspective to evaluate our present circumstances. The Creator of our lives is the one who defines what is truly valuable.
For example, some people feel especially anxious when a plane hits turbulence. It’s because they don’t feel in control. Yet, if we think about it, we experience bumps while driving a car too, but we’re not scared. Why? Because we believe we’re in control. But is that really true? Does holding the wheel make us truly safe? Only when we trust the pilot of the plane are we secure. In the same way, when we entrust our lives to God, our Creator, and evaluate our current circumstances by His standards, we can truly find happiness.
Who determines the golden time of your life? It is God. We may want to succeed quickly while we’re still young. We might endure today’s struggles by dreaming of the golden time that will come someday. But the golden time of our lives is not something we control; it is orchestrated by God.
When was Sarah’s golden time? When she was 90 years old and physically weak, she gave birth to Isaac. When was Moses’ golden time? From the world’s perspective, it was before he turned 40, when he enjoyed everything as a prince of Egypt. But Moses spent the next 80 years in the wilderness. In fact, Moses didn’t even see the fulfillment of his life’s dream. Who was Joshua’s second-in-command during the conquest of Canaan? It was Caleb. And when was Caleb’s golden time? At 85, when he said, “Give me this mountain.” What about the thief on the cross next to Jesus? His golden time was right before his death.
The Bible doesn’t say these people wasted their lives or woke up too late. They were heroes who lived according to God’s will, fulfilling His purpose in each day given to them. This is the biblical perspective. As believers, we trust the standards of Scripture, not the standards of the world. This is an area we need to reset today.
"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)
The Bible says that the ability to find satisfaction in what we do is a gift from God. Living according to the purpose God has given us today is the happiness designed by the Creator of our lives. Living according to God’s purpose isn’t about competing with others to live a better life—it’s about living a blessed life as God sees it. When we let God set our value, we can be happy in any circumstance.
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers." Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Rejoicing always isn’t just a command—it’s possible when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17 (NIV)
When we are filled with the Spirit, we find happiness not in owning things that will fade away, but in longing for eternal things. Even in suffering, we can have the freedom to sing. We don’t escape suffering; rather, we grow to become more like Jesus in the midst of it. That’s the purpose of life.
To live a life full of the Holy Spirit, we must pray continually. Prayer is the time when we connect with eternity. No matter how high ants in a glass jar try to fly, they remain ants. We must look to eternity.
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
And to pray continually, we must pray together. Praying together creates a strong sense of solidarity. When we pray for one another, God gives us the wisdom and solutions to face our real-world needs.
Lastly, we must give thanks in all circumstances. If you’ve been struggling to accept your reality with a heart full of resentment, now is the time to thank God for the health and work He has given you, no matter how difficult it may be. Even if it’s not the work you love, ask for God’s purpose in placing you there. After having my child, I started noticing strollers everywhere. Once our perspective shifts, we begin to see what was always there. Happiness doesn’t come from earning money through work we love. That love can find expression in hobbies or even in church ministry.
Remember, the ultimate golden time for believers is when Jesus returns to complete His Kingdom on earth. Our golden time has already begun, in a sense. Today is our golden time. God’s presence with us today is a golden time we could never buy. Even the moments of suffering we experience with God are golden.
"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.” Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NIV)
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