How To Fill Your Life With Meaningful Things

If anyone had the opportunity to fill his life with meaningful things, but he discovered that apart from God, all is meaningless.  #Biblestudy #Ecclesiastes #WomensBibleStudy #GoodMorningGirls

The Bible answers the toughest of life’s questions including: “what is the meaning to life?”

If there was ever a man who could find meaning – outside of God Almighty – it was Solomon.  He was smart, wise, accomplished, wealthy, and had lots of women.  He was a king and had military strength and power.  He had the freedom to choose whatever he wanted to do each day and plenty of servants to help him accomplish all of his visions and goals. He ate as much food and drink as he wanted and was successful at everything he put his hand to.

Yet – he was not happy…because none of those things lead to a meaningful life.

Life does not climb towards happiness and meaning until you reach a pinnacle of happiness.  Rather, the sun rises and the sun sets – day in and day out – there’s a boredom that can grow because of the mundane.  We can use money and possessions to cope – but that’s all it is – coping. Then sometimes life throws us curve balls as we age and face trials.

We have to fight for joy.

Fight for meaning.

And fight for happiness.

We all do a jugging act everyday.  What are you juggling?

That’s what today’s video is about – so pull out a piece of paper or turn to page 128 in your Ecclesiastes workbook and join me in a discussion on: How To Fill Your Life with Meaningful Things.

{if you are reading this in an email or feed – click here to view the video}

Jesus said in John 10:10,

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Before we imagine cruises, fancy homes, and a closet full of brand new clothes, let’s remember what the abundant life is to Jesus.  It does not mean an abundance of possessions.

Our abundant life began the moment we looked to Jesus as our Savior and inherited eternal life in heaven.  We have a spiritual abundance that no one can take from us. No thief can steal it.

We have a relationship with God that far surpasses any human relationship we can have.  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. God is always with us.

The Christian’s abundant life is one of enjoying the love, peace, grace and truth of our Heavenly Father.  He is so very good – even when life is hard.  Even when our bank accounts are low.  Even when life feels mundane.  He is abundantly blessing us – inwardly.

May we draw closer to God as we continue our study next week in Ecclesiastes and experience the abundant life Jesus meant for us to live.

**Chime In**

After viewing the video, share what you drew in YOUR picture. What are you filling your life with?  

What do you need to eliminate from your life that leads to emptiness?

How can you make some of the things you cannot eliminate more meaningful?

Walk with the King,

Courtney

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35 Comments

  1. A lot of my things are just caring things for my husband and me, like laundry, preparing meals. But I think that I can make them more meaningful if I remember that I’m not just doing them for my husband, but as unto the Lord. I so often don’t think of that, but I’ve written myself a reminder to think of this.

    1. Hi Carolyn

      I have to agree, I am a mother of 3 and there are times when the house work just get to much. But than just the thought that I am doing unto the Lord gives me hope again. The same goes when serving my husband.

    2. Hi Naomi,
      I read somewhere that one thing you can do to make laundry seem more purposeful, and not just another task, is to pray for whoever the article of clothing you are folding belongs to. Hope that helps!

  2. What takes the most of my time is working outside the home, housework, working on our farm, and making sure our children are happy and healthy. While all that can seem like I’m busy all the time, I always make time for me to exercise and spend time with God. The spending time with God is new. I am finding that spending this quiet time study His Word helps me to stay, to use a yoga term, centered and balanced. Before I began reading God’s Word I felt something was missing. I am a home body. I don’t have friends that I go out with not because I’m anti-social I just perfer to be with my family – less drama. God feels a void that I didn’t know existed. My husband is my best friend and I can tell him anything, but there is that space that no one or no thing can fill – except God.

    1. I am the same way in that if I don’t spend time with God I can so tell the difference in the kind of person I am. I have to constantly be being filled with the Spirit, or be being kept filled with the Spirit )Ephesians 5:18, Colossians 3:16).

    2. Lisa,
      I too work outside the home, and help my husband on the farm. Sometimes it seems like there isn’t enough time in the day! But like you said, time for the Lord and time to take care of the body He has blessed me with, most also be a priority! Glad to know a fellow farmer’s wife is doing this study!

  3. Good morning! I am enjoying this study. This will be my 2nd one with gmg. I bought the kindle edition of the study. Are the guides for the videos not included with it or am I just not seeing them? Thanks, Leslie

    1. I don’t think they are “guides” to the video, just a blank page in the journal to take notes on the video. I have the kindle version also and don’t see those pages, but I would not be able to draw and take notes on them anyway.

      Yes, just re-listened to the video, she said it is a page for taking notes.

  4. I’m a working mom too! As an RN of 18+ years, my income is the main one my household relies on. My husband is once again laid-off. Since Jan 8th. He’s going to trade school to learn HVAC but isn’t liking it.

    I also work night shift as it allows me to be able to watch my son play sports. Baseball season is finishing up. After 6 years, he’s no longer playing football due to our strong dislike of the coaches. So, we’ll teach him golf! He’s also a basketballer!!

    Working night shift makes me perpetually tired so on my days off I have no energy. I do however make time for Bible Study!! It’s important to me & helps keep me sane!!

    Thanks Courtney for your Godly wisdom!! Thank you too Mrs Wise! You have much to be proud of!

  5. I can definitely relate to the comments above. This year my goal was to start spending time with God everyday. My day seems much more fulfilled. I struggle with juggling exercise, God, job, and family life. I pray every morning that God gives direction in all I say and do. As long as God is first in the morning…thanks for your ministry.

  6. Mine is similar to the ladies above. I cook, clean, homeschool, Bible study, and if I’m honest, waste time waiting for something exciting to happen. After I made my list I wrote beside each item whether I do it for God or not and found that everything that I did mark for God were the only items on my list that don’t feel meaningless and mundane. I also learned that some items that God has called me to do on my list I have lost sight of who I’m doing them for. I now know that will change my heart from dreading to enjoying serving our Lord! Thank you for this exercise!

    1. This is great insight Jeana! Do I do it for God? That’s why it feels meaningless and mundane. The above the sun approach is what I’m praying for, new eyes. There is to be no distinction between the sacred and the secular, but I do draw a line there that pulls my eyes of Christ. Then I’m back under the sun.

  7. I see in the comments that everyone is trying to juggle their lives and that their lives get busy and hectic. I see that everyone is trying to squeeze reading and study God’s Word which is great, but no one is talking about what they need to eliminate in their lives that leads to emptiness. We are all chasing after things that are idols that get in the way with are relationship with Jesus Christ. I am learning that God wants me to not worry about the things of this world, but to place my full trust in Him. That means that I must surrender everything to Him. I now know that I have been chasing the things of the world like Solomon and it has made me feel empty inside. I sought college as a means to feel like I accomplished something in life, but it didn’t fill me with real joy or happiness. I thought that getting a husband would satisfied my needs, but even a person like your husband or kids can be idols in your life and I can’t put them on a pedestal. My joy comes from the Lord and only him. The only meaning in this life is living for Him, seeking His Kingdom and Righteousness because at the end nothing matters, but that.

    1. To be honest, I need to eliminate the time I spend daydreaming and escaping because I want my life to be different.

      And the reality is my life is actually pretty great if you think about it. So many people have so many challenges and here I am with very few if any challenges and I am thinking about all the things I want to accomplish or how I want the house or what I want to be doing with my time and getting frustrated. How shallow and that is what I let cause anxiety and feeling overwhelmed so I just check out over something so trivial.

      Then I get annoyed when my husband needs me to help him with his computer, I am actually the technical one in our house and the one that fixes things. How crazy, that is what is really important to come alongside and support and help my husband.

      I am ashamed of myself and have lots of prayer and heart change to do.

      Thank you Courtney for as always helping us to focus on and see God and cooperating with the Holy Spirit in convicting us in the areas we need to see clearly.

      BTW: You look so pretty in that video and I love your hair.

  8. Every morning I’m up between 5:30 and 6 to have my quiet time with God, in the Bible and praying. And then starting around 7:00…..
    I spend SO MUCH of each day caring for my almost 2-year-old daughter: changing diapers, preparing food for her, cleaning up after meals, playing with her, reading to her, chasing after her and teaching her to pick up after herself, more and more diapers, struggling with nap time, play dates, recently planning her birthday party (which is over after tomorrow-yay!). She consumes most of my time. My regular housework is so much harder and more time-consuming too, because I try to include her and have her “help” me, which makes everything drag. And she is super destructive lately, so I am constantly behind her picking up and trying to teach her to clean up her messes (which takes FORRRREEEVVVVVEEERRRRRRRRRRR).
    In addition to that, I have caring for my husband (who works overnights with a minimum of 89 hours per week for several weeks at a time, so caring for him is pretty high-maintenance, and he isn’t around to help much), regular house-cleaning, house re-organization (trying to make more room in my home), church, weekly doctor appointments and physical therapy for myself, daily exercises for my PT, budgeting, meal planning, laundry, self-care/hygiene, preparing my home for all the many house guests we have this summer, entertaining house guests, visiting family, MOPS leadership duties, more taking care of my daughter, and on and on and on.
    I hope potty training in the coming year will lighten my load a bit, and I pray there is a day my home re-organization will be done so I can just have regular housekeeping to deal with (we still have boxes around the house from years ago when we moved here, plus the house got into more disarray when we had to make room for my daughter, and we live in a tiny space without much room for anything). I wish I could lighten the load with house guests this summer, but my husband’s and my families both live out of state and can’t visit often, so whenever they can make time to visit us we must be ready to receive them. It’s so stressful, though.
    I don’t know where I could cut anything out. MOPS maybe, but it’s where most of my social interaction comes from, and I get such joy from it that I would hate to ditch it.
    I guess this is just my season in life, and it will pass.

    1. You are doing the most important thing God has given you to do right now, raise a daughter for him! I am now in a season where my children are growing their wings and leaving my nest but I well remember those baby and toddler days which can be fulfilling, yet sometimes lonely and exhausting. I want to encourage you to keep on keeping on. You are doing holy work and God will give you strength beyond your wildest dreams when you continue to serve Him by loving and serving your family. Your daughter will also see how you love and are a help-meet to her daddy, and she will be blessed because of it. I pray that you will find strength in God today as you serve him.

  9. First, thank you Courtney and Beverly. I am enjoying this bible study. I purchased the book because I am in search of more of Jesus, and so much of my life feels meaningless.

    My life is filled with caring for my husband after his major stroke, homeschooling our two teenaged daughters and launching a home based business to help with our loss of income. So many days I feel like I’m on a hamster wheel-going and going but never getting anywhere. Other days I see Gods mighty hand working and moving and changing me. As I sit here this morning, I continue to remember the things that fill my calendar. I could remove TV, money worries, anxiety over our future.

    Much of my calendar are things that cannot be elimated, but to make those things filled with meaning….that is my heartfelt goal. To be a daughter of the King, a wife and a mother whose life reflects only God’s glory, and peace.

    I love the statement, “look for meaning in the midst of the meaningless.” That is what I want, and pray it’s what God wills for me, too.

    May God bless and be with all of us as we journey and grow through Eccliastes together.

  10. Thank you for another great study tool!!!! I have learned and grown so much from them!!! They have renewed my commitment to study Gods word. But more importantly, teaching me to apply it to my life, so I can be a strong wittness to others.
    I think this one is going to be a real EYE OPENER! My kiddos are grown, and my calendar is still full! I feel like I am going from sun up to sun down! Why do we feel like we have to be busy for every moment under the sun? Time to take a look at it all…. and sort out some priorities! I am looking forward to it!! God is on the move!

  11. What spoke to me was I need to do “everything” so that God receives the glory. When I am doing dishes, or cooking supper…I honestly don’t think about doing it for the glory to God. It always seems mundane and meaningless to me. I am really going to apply this thought to the things I do and be more conscious of giving God the glory. I also was sparked by the abundant life reflection. Are the things that consume my day, whether it be actions or thoughts, part of the “abundant life” that Jesus has for me?

  12. Hi Courtney,
    Just a note to say I am really enjoying this bible study and the workbook is absolutely wonderful! I like having a place to directly write down all my own thoughts and answers to the questions before I go online and see what everyone else’s thoughts are. I can then add what I learn from others right there in the lesson! I am also someone who just can’t bring myself to write in or color in my bible, so this gives me a great place to do that too. I am hoping your future bible studies will have workbooks as well. Thank you and God bless!

  13. It has been a GREAT week of study. Thank you for all the in-depth added information. My days are filled with much of what everyone else is juggling. I’m learning to take more JOY in whatever my hands (or other parts) find to do. May it ALL be for HIS glory!!!

  14. Thank you Courtney for the reminder that our Busy Lives are Abundant Lives for God. I found myself commenting about not feeling the peace that I thought I had. I know I have God’s peace ~ that peace beyond understanding; but I don’t feel peaceful.
    I felt my days were so consumed, so busy, so stressed with busyness that I am exhausted and not content with what I do. I’m a go getter, get involved, do it all kind of person … but never felt secure in where God wanted me to be.
    Still with all the busyness in life, I know now as John 10:10 states I have an abundant life – and instead of me complaining, doubting and unsurety ~ I can raise my head up and say I have an abundant life!
    I think I’ll color in my sketch now and make it pretty and uplifting as a reminder that all these things are my abundance from God!

  15. I have found that I have been filling my time with volunteering with different ministries, car repairs, social media, cooking,cleaning, reading, doctors visits for myself and my daughter. Spending time with grandbaby. But I have noticed that my quiet time with the Heavenly Father has been cut short when distractions from crying or television show or that I have been so tired lately that I just don’t have energy and find myself trying to do my bible study and simply dose off.
    I can possibly turn the television off and try to get to bed earlier when I don’t have my grandbaby and get rest so that I can get up early to do my quiet time. I must make him a priority in my life. I must start saying I am able to do all these things for God’s glory and not I have to. Speak the importance of being about God business.

  16. Life is good and whether we serve God by prepping a meal, shopping, cleaning, caring for our family and friends, whatever we put our hands to, do it with all our might for Gods glory…. God cares about the small things too, even though he’s an Almighty God His eye is on the sparrow and on us too!

  17. This is the first study I have done with this group, and I’m really enjoying it so far. The verses in Ecclesiastes about the seasons in our lives has always been one of my favorites. I am 75, so I have been through many “seasons” already. this season in my life can sometimes be lonely, as I lost my husband a year ago and none of my kids live close by. I am so thankful for my church family and fellowship with some of the ladies. I find that I can spend more time on doing a bible study in more depth just because I have the time now, so that is a blessing. I haven’t thought enough about the things I do each day being for God, so I need to think more about that. This week I have been spending less time on FB and more time in my Bible, and I hope that I can continue to do that. I am loving this study. Thank you!

  18. Living abundantly means never complaining about a task you have to do no matter how mundane it is and be content with your situation. For me it is all about my situation my chronic illness makes me stay at home a lot of the times so it is difficult for me to have friends. I try to lean on God and see what He has in store for me but that is also difficult to do at times when you are down.

  19. First time joining in on a study here. Very thankful that the holy spirit led me to your website a few weeks ago! In a very busy season of life right now as mum to a wonderful four month old boy. It has been a huge learning curve and we have our good and bad days as I am sure ALL new mums do. Unfortunately to add to it all I’ve had struggles with postnatal anxiety and extreme exhaustion. Even ended up in hospital for a couple of weeks. I’m thankful that despite the challenges I have felt a renewed drive to know Jesus and I’ve set myself the challenge of reading the entire bible cover to cover by the time I am 30 🙂 reading in a year was not going to happen but 3.5 year seems achievable and I’ve printed one of your reading guides to help track my progress.
    Huge thank you Courtney for your wonderful website. I know there will be a lot of work behind the scenes that you, your Mum and your team put in and please know that it is so appreciated. I am definitely at the stage of having an abundantly full to do list but as you said so well, we are not meant to spend our time chasing the wind but to chase after the saviour!
    P.S. this message coming to you all the way from Christchurch, New Zealand – hence my funny spelling for ‘Mum’ :p

  20. As I read the comments of others, I noticed that the elimination factor seems to be important for me. I need to spend more of my time in study, prayer and fellowship in and with Gods’s word. I have many times to rest that I just waste away. Focusing on using these times to pray for my own growth as well as needs of others would make these meaningless activity times meaningful times for God. My prayer is to be more aware of this need less entertained.

  21. I have kind of the opposite struggle. I am not busy at all really. I was only recently granted a work visa in the USA (I am Canadian) and have not yet been hired for work. My husband and I are not having any success with starting a family so it doesn’t take me long to keep the house in order. I volunteer often and most days I am out meeting with people, helping with events or doing anything for anyone that needs some help. I am happy to be the go-to person for any need in our community but I am really fighting to keep my purpose. Of course I am being useful, helpful and loving people but I can’t help but think God has something specific for me to do. I am really not sure what it is. I consider these worthwhile activities but also as ways to pass the time till I can do whatever it is I was created to do… It’s very frustrating to be doing wonderful, loving things for people and feel little purpose in them personally. My dream has always been to be a mother, but even if that is not God’s dream for me…I still think there has got to be something He has for me to do besides the odds and ends of things other people don’t have time or desire for.
    I am blessed by this year and a half to spend free in God’s word, studying for many hours, reading and listening to teaching. On the other hand, I would love to feel purposeful in this time as well. It was a difficult year as my husband and I were required to live countries apart for months at a time, until 8 weeks ago I had been living out of a suitcase since December 2014, hopping between three countries always believing these hard times were part of Gods plan for His glory in our life. It was a sacrifice we were willing to make in order to follow His leading in ministry……but I have yet to find my place in all of this now that the paperwork is settled, my husband and I residing in the same country…and I am free to do anything…..though I want to be doing HIS very thing for me.

  22. I spend most of time with other women and running my household. I probably can spend a little less time on social media and surfing the web for this and that and more time with the Word. I find fulfillment in being available for others. Sometimes though, I feel like its all about them and never about me. So…I like the statement you shared in the video, “find meaning in the meaningless.”. This is my first of your studies. Thank you.

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