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"All his days are sorrowful"

Text: Ecclesiastes 2:23

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR WORK-LIFE

Solomon did not mince words when he sought to describe the work that man has to do. He did not try to glamourise the work of a king either.

“For all his days are sorrowful,
and his work burdensome;
even in the night his heart takes no rest.
This also is vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 2:23

1. “For all his days are sorrowful”

a) Work is often voluminous.

b) There are deadlines to meet.

c) There is pressure.

d) There may be difficult colleagues.

e) There may be unreasonable bosses.

f) The hard reality: “His days are sorrowful”.

i) Sorrow is often hidden.

ii) People seldom share their feelings openly or honestly.

iii) We try and keep “a stiff upper lip” amidst strong negative feelings.

2. “And his work burdensome”

a) Work can be burdensome indeed!

b) It seems endless.

c) The moment one piece of work is done, another piece of work comes up.

d) In time, the stress and strain of work makes it seem like a burden.

e) This is why people look forward to the following:

i) A public holiday

ii) Vacation

iii) Retirement

3. “Even in the night his heart takes no rest”

a) Work is supposed to conclude when the sun has set.

b) One is supposed to rest up in the night.

c) The reality for many is that “the heart takes no rest”.

i) There are worries.

ii) There are anxieties.

iii) There are fears.

d) Things can go wrong.

i) There may be a loss of job.

ii) There may be failure.

4. “This also is vanity”

a) The sense of “vanity” continues to prevail.

b) It is not easily shrugged off.

c) With this sense of vanity there is a loss of meaning in work and life.