Daily Devotional
Advice Your Self
Text: Ecclesiastes 1:3
“What profit has a man from all his labour in which he toils under the sun?”
Message
Solomon realized the nature of his expectations, and he said in Ecclesiastes 1:2 “…; “Vanity Upon Vanity, All is Vanity.”One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said,“See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.”
Vanity meaning in Bible is pride in oneself or one’s appearance. It is also the excessive belief or overestimation of one’s beauty, talents, wealth, and achievements compared to others.
Vanity is the desire or the need that prompts us to seek through our services and/or accomplishments the glory, praises, and good testimony of the people around us. It is the illusion that admiration of the people is a priority in our life.
In many religions, vanity, in its modern sense, is considered a form of self-idolatry in which one likens oneself to the greatness of God for the sake of one’s own image, and thereby becomes separated and perhaps in time divorced from the Divine grace of God.
Truth is, what can or do you have that is not given to you, that someone else do not or that you will be the last to have it?
Don’t you know that the book of champions is constantly in review, on setting of new records by those that comes after?
Aside your partaking in the righteousness of Jesus in God, don’t you think or know that all you have or will have are miserable objects of comfort that will sooner than later develop wing and flies away?
I recently watched a trending video of a Ghanaian business tycoon, Alhaji Asuma Banda on his sick bed, helpless and motionless, with life ebbing out of him while his wives and children are hovering over him, fighting over money and property he spent all his life acquiring but over which he no longer has control! The most vociferous wife even wants him to sign cheques for her bills to be paid. She is heard hollering! Other wives brought soldiers with the intention of forcefully taking the dying man away so as to make him do their bidding! This should be Great lesson to ALL men and women of goodwill to give self advice.
Self advice is valuable because you know your self better than anyone else.Take time to reflect on your life, identity, obstacles, and make change.
You delete old photos and videos so that you can have space for new ones on your phone and laptop. Are you not aware that you need to do the same thing to your mind?
Delete old hurts and grudges, so that good memories will have space to stay in your mind! When milk is fresh, it is good for drinking and for tea. When it is shaken, it produces butter. When it gets infected with bacteria, it becomes yogurt. Be like milk. Use everything that happens to you, good or bad, to your advantage. Let them all add value to you. Delete the bitter so the better can have space to manifest!
Stop chasing money as if that’s all there is to life. One day will come and the truth of death as vehicle to eternity with Jesus Christ or in hell fire will be your irreducible minimum. The choice is yours!
No matter what you are facing, the ultimate solution is in what you are saying to God, to yourself, to others and to your situation.
Preaching peace without justice is like walking in the wilderness. Without justice, peace will remain a tantalizing mirage.
In summary, the Preacher who is the author of Ecclesiastes tells us that everything we do is ‘vanity’: empty, futile, and short-lived. It doesn’t matter if you’re wise or a fool, ultimately, because everyone ends up dying.
To help us self advice a song writer said and I concur, “Vanity upon vanity the Bible tells me so, Living a life without Jesus is vanity upon vanity.”
Be wise. Advice your self.