Ever feel like Solomon: “Vanity of vanity, all things are vanity”?

Mark Virkler's picture

Here is an excellent way to get depressed and believe everything is vanity. Simply go to today’s headlines without first taking a walk with the Lord in the cool of the day and receiving some fresh manna from Him. Now, the nice thing about knowing ways I can wreck my life is that I can now be careful not to make these particular mistakes. Living in depression is nothing I choose to do.


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Fresh daily manna

Good morning, Lord, I love You and I give You this day. What would You like to speak to me about?

Mark, I love you also, and I give you this day to accomplish the next step of your destiny. You are proceeding well in the fulfillment of your destiny. You are observing, learning, stretching, and growing. You are mastering blogging, podcasting, and videos on YouTube. These are keys to the future of your worldwide ministry. These things will be preserved for generations to come. They will be gifts to My children for ages. So do not scorn them. Do not belittle them; they are pieces to the puzzle of your life, your history, and your destiny.

Me: Yes, Lord, and today I feel led to write the blog titled: Ever feel like Solomon: 'Vanity of vanity, all things are vanity’?

The Lord: For Solomon, it was because he was not seeking My will daily, in the early morning. He was living from his own will, his plans, his ambitions. He was missing early morning walks with Me in the cool of the day. He was not gathering fresh spiritual provision for the day. Thus, he was purposeless and found life to be meaningless.

You too find life to be purposeless and meaningless when you do not seek Me early in the morning. When you do not receive fresh daily manna. Then life becomes void of meaning, void of purpose, void of destiny, identity, and value. All things appear as vanity.

And yet all is not meaningless, purposeless, and vanity. All is still in My hand; you are still in My hand. It is just that you have lost your sense of identity, since you have not connected with Me.

Then other voices take over. Voices of accusation, lies, deception, disillusionment, defeat, and failure. Then all appears as vanity. All because you did not connect with Me, the River of Life, the Fountian of Living Waters, the One who quenches the dry and thirsty soul.

Come unto Me all who are thirsty, all who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28-30; Jn. 7:37-39).

Yes, Solomon finally came to his spiritual senses. He saw life was meaningless outside My purpose and My daily presence, so he said “Fear God and keep His commandments” (Eccl. 12:13). That is the purpose of life: to live from My presence in all you do.

Yes, Mark, you are right. Disillusioned, undiscerning newsmen have no sense of purpose or truth or destiny. Thus, they are a defilement to your soul.

Religion has no living encounter with Me either. It offers legalism and death to its adherents. Jesus offered life to all because He lived tuned to My presence, and My life flow within Him. He is the example of how to live life with purpose, power, and destiny. Follow His pattern and all shall be well with your soul. Behold, I have spoken. Behold, it is to be done.

Me: Thank You, Lord, for Your daily reminder that I am loved and I have purpose and destiny in You and through You.

The Lord: You are welcome, My son. You are welcome.

Journaling Application

  • Lord, I love You and I give you this day. What would You like to speak to me about?

Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting down (Ps. 62:1-5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Ps. 16:8; Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His revelation and tuning to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39; Jer. 2:13; 10 pictures), and 4) recording this flow (Hab. 2:1,2; Rev. 1:9-11). I then test it, ensuring it lines up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2; Jn. 10:35; 1 Thess. 5:2) and is affirmed in the hearts of my three spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1; Prov. 11:14). See this link.

Dig deeper

You may be led to read the 12 chapters of Ecclesiastes while listening to your heart. See what the Lord highlights for you to ponder, consider, and journal about. It appears to me that living outside God’s anointing and leading, and flowing wisdom and comfort, makes whatever task I am doing, meaningless and drudgery (ie, a dead work – Heb. 6:1,2). Live works are doing the things God is asking us to do, and seeing Him at our side, and asking for and receiving His guidance throughout our day.


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Related Resources: 

How to Be Emotionally Free!   How to Hear God's Voice!   
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