Finding Joy in the Meaningless 虚空中的喜乐

[Dexu Xia]

When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  Ecclesiastes 2:11

In 2010, James Ward, the creator of the blog “I Like Boring Things,” launched a conference called the “Boring Conference.” It’s a one-day celebration of the mundane, the ordinary, and the overlooked. In the past, speakers have addressed seemingly meaningless topics like sneezing, sounds that vending machines make, and inkjet printers of 1999. Ward knows the topics may be boring, but the speakers can take a mundane subject and make it interesting, meaningful, and even joyful.

Several millennia ago, Solomon, the wisest of kings, launched his own search for joy in the meaningless and mundane. He pursued work, bought flocks, built wealth, acquired singers, and constructed buildings (Ecclesiastes 2:4–9). Some of these pursuits were honorable and some were not. Ultimately, in his pursuit of meaning, the king found nothing but boredom (v. 11). Solomon maintained a worldview that didn’t press beyond the limits of human experience to include God. Ultimately, however, he realized that he’d find joy in the mundane only when he remembered and worshiped God (12:1–7).

When we find ourselves in the whirlwind of tedium, let’s launch our own daily mini-conference, as we “remember [our] Creator” (v. 1)—the God who fills the mundane with meaning. As we remember and worship Him, we’ll find wonder in the ordinary, gratitude in the mundane, and joy in the seemingly meaningless things of life.

Why is it so hard to find meaning in things that can never satisfy? How do you need to reprioritize your commitment to and worship of God so you can find your meaning in Him?

God, take the unremarkable moments of my life and infuse them with Your joy and wonder.

 我察看我手所经营的一切事和我劳碌所成的功，谁知都是虚空，都是捕风。—传道书2章11节

撰写“我爱无聊事”的博客作者詹姆斯 · 沃德（James Ward），在2010年首次举办了一场“无聊大会”。这场为期一天的庆祝大会，谈论各样单调、平凡、没人注意的事。一直以来，不同的演讲者曾探讨似乎毫无意义的小事，像是打喷嚏、贩卖机发出来的声音，或1999年的喷墨印表机。沃德知道这些主题可能很无聊，但演讲者能让这些无趣的主题变得生动且有意义，甚至饶富趣味。

数千年前，最有智慧的君王所罗门，也在虚空平淡中寻求喜乐。他勤奋工作、购买牲畜、累积财富、招募歌者和大兴土木（传道书2章4-9节）。他追求这一切，有些得着世人的尊崇，有些则没有。他一心想要追求人生的意义，最后却发现一切都是虚空（11节）。所罗门持有的世界观，仅限于人类的经验，并没有包括上帝。最终他才明白，唯有记念并敬拜上帝，才能在平淡的生活中得着喜乐（12章1-7节）。

当我们被枯燥无趣的事物笼罩时，可以每天为自己开一场小型会议，来记念那位创造我们的主（1节），祂能使一切虚空平淡的事充满意义。我们记念、敬拜祂，就能在平凡中看见奇迹，在枯燥乏味时心怀感恩，并从看似毫无意义的生活琐事中得着喜乐。

为何很难从那些无法满足我们的事物中找到意义？
你要如何先敬拜并委身于上帝，在祂里面找到生命的意义？

上帝啊，求祢在我平淡无奇的生命中，
注入祢的喜乐和奇妙！