Ecclesiastes 8:9-17: a reflection

9All this I have seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt. 10So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity. 11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. 13But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God. 14There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. 16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night), 17then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

The Preacher wrestles honestly with the puzzles of life: the wicked sometimes prosper, the righteous sometimes suffer, and much of what God does cannot be understood. And he comes to a humble conclusion: I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out the work that is done under the sun; however much they labor to seek it out, they will not find it; even the wise, who think they can comprehend it, cannot. The work of God is finally beyond our full understanding.

Notice the humble conclusion the Preacher reaches: we cannot fully understand the work of God. However much we labor to figure it out, we cannot; even the wisest cannot comprehend it all. The puzzles of life, the prospering of the wicked, the suffering of the righteous, the ways of God, exceed our understanding; we cannot trace them out fully. And rather than exhausting ourselves in the vain attempt to comprehend it all, the Preacher counsels us to accept the limits of our understanding, and meanwhile to receive with joy the good gifts God gives.

That humble acceptance of the limits of our understanding is a wisdom worth learning. We can exhaust ourselves trying to figure out all that God does, to understand every puzzle of life, why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer; and find that we cannot. The work of God is beyond our full comprehension; and to accept this is not defeat, but wisdom. Do not exhaust yourself trying to comprehend all that God does, demanding to understand every puzzle; accept the limits of your understanding, and trust the God whose work exceeds your comprehension. You cannot trace out all his ways; even the wise cannot. Rather than laboring in vain to understand it all, accept that God's work is beyond you, trust him with what you cannot understand, and meanwhile receive with gratitude and joy the good gifts he gives. The work of God cannot be fully found out; accept that limit humbly, trust the God whose ways exceed your understanding, and live with joy in the good he gives, rather than exhausting yourself in the vain attempt to comprehend what is beyond you.

Lord, the Preacher wrestles honestly with the puzzles of life, the prospering of the wicked, the suffering of the righteous, and comes to a humble conclusion: no one can find out the work of God done under the sun; however much they labor to seek it out, they will not find it; even the wise cannot comprehend it all. Show me his humble conclusion: I cannot fully understand your work. However much I labor to figure it out, I cannot; even the wisest cannot comprehend it all. The puzzles of life exceed my understanding; I cannot trace them out fully. And rather than exhausting myself in the vain attempt to comprehend it all, help me accept the limits of my understanding, and meanwhile receive with joy the good gifts you give. That humble acceptance is a wisdom worth learning. I can exhaust myself trying to figure out all that you do, why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer; and find that I cannot. Your work is beyond my full comprehension; and to accept this is not defeat, but wisdom. Keep me from exhausting myself trying to comprehend all that you do, demanding to understand every puzzle; help me accept the limits of my understanding, and trust you, whose work exceeds my comprehension. I cannot trace out all your ways; help me trust you with what I cannot understand, Lord, and meanwhile receive with gratitude and joy the good you give. Help me trust you beyond my understanding, and live with joy in your gifts.