Making the most of what God gives us isn’t always easy. The temptations to hoard His gifts, misplace our devotion towards the gifts over Him, or even disregard the gifts seem to always linger close by.

However, in Ecclesiastes 5 we receive some powerful advice – “whoever loves money is never satisfied with money…and hoarding riches harms the saver…so, learn to care for yourself…and to make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. Yes – make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work…God deals out joy in the present..” (Message translation).

How liberating this is for me to remember every time I read it. Yes – God’s Word has a way of doing that – it refreshes, renews, and reminds me to what is real, and releases me from what is not.

It’s wise to save, but not to hoard. It’s good to work, but not because we love money – though it’s ok to like it for sure. Who doesn’t?

The key is loving God most of all, and trusting Him with all aspects of our life.

I know I don’t enjoy the good health I have today, the good work I have today, and the blessings I have today when my heart and mind get preoccupied on all I seemingly lack.

I’m realizing more and more that enjoying God is also learning to enjoy life – not like a hedonist, but rather, as one who understands the magnificence, the wonder, and the beauty life truly is.

Indeed, life has its troubles – not to be denied or ignored, but they also need not dominate our headlines. Rather, life is also full of God’s goodness, love, beauty, and gifts – the question for me, and most people I think, is if we will allow His truth to dominate our life’s headlines.

Just consider how much empowering our days could be if we truly lived out, and lived in, the freedom Jesus died for, lives for, and loves to give.