Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 – Ecclesiastes is often regarded as one of the most pessimistic books in Scripture, yet its message is profoundly joyful. Solomon teaches that life is hebel – a mist, a vapour, something fleeting and impossible to grasp. Yet rather than driving us to despair, this reality is meant to lead us to wisdom. In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon reminds us that God sovereignly appoints every season of life: a time to be born, a time to die, a time to mourn, and a time to rejoice etc. Our task is not to control the times, but to recognise them and respond wisely. The God who gives us the mist also gives us joy within it, while placing eternity itself in our hearts.
