Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Find Wisdom in the hard things

Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it. ~ Ecclesiastes 7:12

Ecclesiastes 7 is filled with what might seem like surprising truths. It challenges the way we naturally think about life, especially the hard times. Verses like “the day of death is better than the day of birth” and “sorrow is better than laughter” might sound strange at first glance, but king Solomon, the writer, is offering us a deeper perspective: wisdom is often gained through life’s harder seasons.

We tend to avoid pain, loss, or correction. Yet, those are the very things Solomon says are more valuable than the good times in life or celebration. Why? Because those are the times that grow and develop our character. They mature us. They open our eyes to what really matters.

In other words, wisdom isn’t just found in books or good advice, but it’s often strengthened in life’s difficulties.

So how do we begin to embrace this upside-down wisdom in a world that constantly pushes comfort, success, and positivity? Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Let tough seasons teach you.
   Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “Lord, what wisdom to You have for me through this?” Wisdom is rarely gained in the shallow end of life. It’s in the deep waters where we grow strong.
2. Welcome correction.
   Verse 5 says, “It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.” That means we should actually value constructive criticism. When it’s done in love, it shapes us into who we’re meant to be.
3. Don’t rush the process.
   Verse 8 reminds us, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” Hang in there. God often does His best work in us over time, not overnight.
4. Trust God in mystery.
   Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. This is an invitation to trust Him even when life doesn’t make sense, because we know He sees the whole picture.
5. Pursue wisdom more than comfort.
   Make decisions not just based on what feels good, but what is wise and lasting. God’s wisdom will preserve you far longer than anything money, fame, or ease ever could.

Life won’t always make sense. It won’t always be fair or easy. But that doesn’t mean it’s meaningless. According to Ecclesiastes 7, some of the greatest treasures in life like wisdom, maturity, depth of character, are found when we embrace what God is doing even in the hard seasons.

You don’t have to fear hardship or avoid sorrow. Instead, lean in. Let God use the hard times to shape you into someone who stands strong, speaks truth, and lives well. Wisdom will preserve you. God will guide you. And through it all, you’ll come out stronger than before.

So today, I want to encourage you to not run from the struggle, but instead ask for wisdom in the middle of it. Trust that God is doing something deep and beautiful in you, even when it’s uncomfortable. Let Him teach you, mold you, and walk with you every step of the way. Because in the end, wisdom will be your shelter, and you’ll look back and see just how far He’s brought you because You trusted Him through the hard times.

Today’s scripture reading: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth;

2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason, and a bribe debases the heart.

8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and profitable to those who see the sun.

12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

13 Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.