Misery Doesn't Love Company

It's been a little over three months since our study in Ecclesiastes (Momentum) began and as of today, we are not even at the half way mark. I know this isn't very long when your going verse by verse through a pretty weighty book, but there are times when you're reading Solomon's thoughts and you feel like you need to take a break from the downer that is Ecclesiastes. Just this passed Monday someone sent in a text message during our Q & A that said, "This is depressing." At first glance, I guess Ecclesiastes can sound depressing.

"Vanity, vanity", "nothing new under the sun", and "meaningless, meaningless, it's all meaningless" sounds an awful lot like the writings of a manic depressive in need of some serious therapy (aren't we all?). I don't know if Solomon's intent was to depress his readers, but I do believe everyone gets depressed at some time or another. Some depression leads to a quick fix of Disneyland or Cold Stone (or both together!), but other types of depression lead into deeper and darker bouts with depression. I can't say that I've been there, but I can say that there has been moments where hope seems so distant. Although I don't believe God abandons us, I do believe he leads us into places so that He can do His best work. I tend to be pretty optimistic, but there are times when I feel like there isn't any hope. There are times when I fight the temptation to want to give up. Give up on doing what I'm doing, give up on pursuing what I'm pursuing and give up on thinking the remedy I choose will actually fix what's going on inside my heart. We're probably familiar with that old adage, "misery loves company." But does it? I don't think it does. If misery loves anything I think it loves hope. I don't even think miserable people love other miserable people. I think they just love to know they're not alone or that maybe there actually is someone who has it worse than they do. But I don't think either loves misery or its company. If we're at all familiar with the book of Hosea, God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer (not sure I could be as obedient as Hosea was). Gomer is someone who is struggling with many things, but is most of all completely blinded, wounded, scarred, calloused, and deceived by her own desire to fulfill her pleasure. Ultimately, I believe she's got this idea of what's going to be best for her and lives her life in pursuit of fulfilling the hole in her heart with things never designed to replace that which was intended. It's not until she's lead out into the desert, faced with the reality of her heart, and starved of what she's craving, does she finally realize those things will never suffice. I believe that time had to be a very dark and lonely place for her. What's so beautiful about her story is that we don't see Hosea or God beat her for her actions or demean her for her sinful ways or pile on her with guilt and shame. What we do see instead is God speaking tenderly to her (2:14). He speak meaning and life into her. He breathes into her a new perspective, real joy, and real hope. It even says she sings a song.

Singing songs can bring up memories. For some of us they remind us of people, some remind of a time, and others remind of a place. Some speak directly to us as if the song was written specifically about us. And sometimes the ownership of a song becomes as if you penned it yourself. Sometimes these songs are new and sometimes they're old. Sometimes nobody's ever heard of it, but other times they're songs for many of us to share. It's why I love singing songs with other people especially when they're songs of how truly good our God is. But I also love to sing songs of hope. Because I believe we can all resonate with a song like that. Whether we've experienced hope in our life or we're longing for it's warm embrace, we love those songs because it breathes new life into us. It gives us meaning and purpose. It gives us hope.............something we all need.

Here's a song of hope that I absolutely love by Caleb Clements:

You Are With Me Still

When all is dark and hope is gone

And silence has become my song

When doubt has closed me in, You are with me still

When strength is overcome by fear

Your presence feels no longer near

When sorrow’s night descends, You are with me still

You are with me still, Your love will endure

You are with me still, Your promise is sure

You are with me still, Your mercy remains

You are with me still, You give strength as I wait

Though favor’s touch seems long ago

My calloused heart and weary soul

Will turn in trust to You, You are with me still

You are with me still

You are with me still

You are with me still

You are with me still