By: Pastor Jarren Rogers

“The Lord stands above the new day, for God has made it. All restlessness, all worry, and anxiety flee before him.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ecclesiastes isn’t really a feel-good book. The writer is obviously distressed and disappointed. Most of the book reads like this:

“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3).

You get the gist.

But this book isn’t just a downer. There is plenty of hope to be found. The writer of Ecclesiastes may have been cynical and downtrodden, but he knew where he could find lasting joy.

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

The writer lays it out straight, no funny business. He says, listen, when you’re having a good day, rejoice. You should be happy. Give God praise. Good for you. But the bad days are going to come. They always do. It’s going to be rough.

But when times are bad, consider this: God makes the good days and the bad. God gave you your next breath. He allowed the sun to rise another time. He has you here for a reason.

You can’t tell your future, but you live for a purpose. Regardless of whether a good day or bad, God has something important in store for you today that only you can do! God made this day for a reason–find that reason.

Too often, we allow the bad days to pass us by. We sulk in self-pity and cry out something similar to the writer of Ecclesiastes, “Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” But, at some point, we must stop and realize that God is the one who put breath in our lungs. He made a new day. Even though yesterday was bad, today gains new life, new purpose, new possibilities.

The good days will come. The bad days will come. But the good news is that God made them both for a reason. Keep moving. Keep striving. Keep working.

God’s got a plan, and He wants you to be a part.