THE QUEST FOR HAPPINESS

Oran Rhodes

Almost everyone wants to be happy. Oh, I know a few people who seem to enjoy being miserable, but I do not really believe that is reality. But it is interesting to observe all the different ways and means which some use to try to make themselves happy. Long ago Solomon sought happiness in every source of worldly pleasure. In the second chapter of Ecclesiastes, he gives a list of all the different efforts he made in an effort to be happy. His conclusions have been recorded so that man may know what will and what will not give happiness. “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl. 2:10-11).

Solomon began his reign with a request for wisdom from God. “And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee” (1 Kings 3:11-12). The example given in vs. 16-28 of the third chapter of 1 Kings demonstrates the use of that God-given ability in deciding the fate of a child and determining its mother. Yet, in the overall picture, wisdom failed to satisfy Solomon. “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow” (Eccl. 1:18).

The king searched for happiness in the realm of literature. He wrote some 3,000 proverbs and 1005 songs. But Solomon’s conclusion was “And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Eccl. 12:12).

This extremely wealthy ruler looked for happiness in more riches. In fact, we are told that Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches (1 Kings 10:23). He had forty thousand stalls of horses and twelve thousand horsemen” (1 Kings 4:26). He always set a heavy laden table. “And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl” (1 Kings 4:22-23). The conclusion was simply that wealth is hard to acquire, but it gives no real pleasure and thus any satisfaction soon vanishes.

He looked for happiness in power. Solomon was the ruler of a mighty nation, but he recognized that this too gave no lasting pleasure. This was also nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit.

Finally, he looked for happiness in any and all of the worldly pleasures. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life” (Eccl. 2:1-3). “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl. 2:10-11). Again, what did Solomon conclude about all the worldly pleasures which so many spend their entire lives chasing? “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:17).

From all of the experience in every area in which one could seek after what the world thinks of as happiness, he finally concluded, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14). If we cannot learn from holy writ and the example of the acknowledged wise man of the Bible, what will it take?