“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”

(Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, Emphasis added)

An often forgotten element of life that God has ordained for us is simply to enjoy living in the time and place that he has set before us. 

Do you have food? Enjoy it! 

Do you have a spouse? Do you have children? Do you have a home? Do you have work? Enjoy these blessings. 

We may not have all we want, we may face tremendous suffering, we may have jobs we don’t enjoy, we may be single and desire a spouse, but praise God there is freedom in Christ to do what we can to pursue good and godly desires. When we try to change our lot, and encounter obstacles or delays; if God's word for us is “wait” or “no” or “trust me with these things,” – let us remember Peter’s words to those who wait in suffering: “Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬). 

Lord, help us entrust our souls to you in the lot you have given. In the midst of suffering, likely nothing feels like a gift. All we can do at times is cry out to the Lord, seek comfort in his word, and lament. Remember that the same author who wrote about the blessing of enjoying our work and food and drink also wrote that there is, “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” ‭‭(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬). 

For those in seasons of peace and rest, rejoice and enjoy what the Lord has given as a gift from him, not something to be achieved or accomplished, not as a stepping stone to the next thing. Make your plans, apply for the promotion, look at the new house, ask the godly person on a date, and don’t forget as you do those things to continue praising God for what he has given you today. 

All we see will one day be gone. All we’ve worked for will one day be passed on to someone else. All those we love will one day pass away. Do not let that overwhelm you. Everything God has given is a gift from him, meant to be enjoyed for the seasons he provides them. 

I needed this truth during a very difficult time in my life, when we were waiting to see if chemotherapy would shrink the cancer growing in my 6-year-old daughter. I needed to hear the words from a dear friend, “Do not let fear rob you of your joy.” I needed to be reminded that my daughter belongs to the Lord, and I needed to surrender her life to the Lord many times throughout the years of cancer treatments. I also needed to be reminded that, whatever may happen to her in the future, if the Lord has given her to me for today, then today I should enjoy spending time with her and praise God for that gift! 

For those in suffering, do not let the fear of tomorrow rob you of the joy the Lord has for you today. The temptation will be to cling to every scrap you have and fend off the future like an impending wave. There is no promise that we will have anything tomorrow, no guarantee that our fears or dreams will come to pass. If you have the Lord, if you have food and drink, if you have family, enjoy them. Praise God for them. And trust him with tomorrow.

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