When Life Becomes Meaningless

“The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.'” – Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

In his book “Lectionary Sermon Resource: Year A Part 1”, Will Willimons writes:
“Burnout is the disease of our age. Time magazine had an editorial way back in the 1980s about “the burnout of just about everybody.”

I concluded that the metaphor of burnout was not quite right, particularly when applied to those of us in the church.

Burnout is a term that is borrowed from rocketry, when a rocket rising from the earth runs out of fuel, “burns out,” and falls to the earth.

Burnout implies that our problem is a lack of energy. I have concluded that many people who think they are “burning out” do so, not from the lack of energy, but from a lack of meaning.

We are tired and despondent. The French call it ennui; the Bible speaks of the “noonday demon,” depression.”

Loving Jesus Christ brings meaning and purpose to life.

“The only reason why man as man has individual significance is that Christ died for him.” – George MacLeod

“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Everything is meaningless!'” Ecclesiastes 12:8