Finding the God You’ve Been Chasing All Along - Abigail Skelton

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” 

~Ecclesiastes 1:2 NLT

“And suddenly I realized everything in life is fleeting, and only God is eternal.” – Unknown

Occasionally, an inspirational Pinterest quote catches my attention. While scrolling through recipes and seasonal fashion suggestions, I paused to consider the truth behind the aforementioned quote. 

All too often, I get in a comfortable groove and think I have everything figured out. I have a job, I’m in good health, and I have a plethora of family and friends. But then, even just one loss sends everything into a tailspin. As it turns out, I have little control over anything. And even the surest things I have—my own body included—won’t last forever. 

There is a book of the Bible that frequently leaves my non-Christian friends in an existential crisis. Even for believers, the book of Ecclesiastes is a rather gloomy wake-up call, reminding us that everything we chase is temporal. Fleeting. 

If "everything is meaningless," as King Solomon writes repeatedly throughout the book, I probably don’t need that picture-perfect fall sweater, or that cozy book-nook that pops up in my feed and makes me dissatisfied with the home I already have. 

In fact, if I’m chasing anything but God, I’m guaranteed to wind up disappointed. Material things are all meaningless at the end of the day. We take nothing with us. Even our descendants will forget us after a couple of generations.

Yet the book of Ecclesiastes still ends in hope. “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (12:13). God is still in the picture, despite everything. Our lives do have meaning if we fear him, for God is eternal. 

And so, when we chase after God, first and foremost, we have the promise that we will never come up empty. We never have to say goodbye to his love and goodness. He is still with us, even when our jobs fail, our health vanishes, and our relationships crumble. 

Only God is eternal. That fact alone is a blessing beyond anything this world can offer. 

Abigail Skelton is from beautiful Southern Oregon, where she grew up with an avid love for Jesus, chocolate, and writing. She has lived in three countries while involved in missionary work and frequently travels and studies foreign languages. You can connect with Abigail on her website: https://abigailskelton.com.

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