Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

The writer is someone making an honest assessment of his life’s works/pursuits. He writes about pursuing wisdom and pleasure – and both fail to deliver as he writes, “all was vanity and a chasing after wind”. I might phrase it like…

“I spent my life working hard, staying busy, but accomplishing little.”

I understand the impulse to evaluate life, particularly now that I have more years behind me than in front of me. I also understand the feeling of futility – that little of substance has changed or improved. It’s a sobering thought. That said, I’m old enough to know that good things often happen slowly, over many years. I may or may not get to see with my own eyes the things God has done through me, but I trust things are happening anyway.

Lord, do a work through me that matters to you. Amen.