All is Vanity

[OneAccord]

All is vanity under the sun.........

Since becoming a Christian, a follower of Christ, I have been finding it increasingly difficult to stay interested in worldly things. So much of what occupies most people seems so pointless, so much of the chatter seems idle.

It's difficult to balance, because I know I'm here on earth for however long and have to care for and be a good steward to what I have, keep busy, occupy til He comes, so to speak.

It reminds me of a song I heard on the raido:

"Keep your eyes upon Jesus

And seek ye His glorious ways....

The things of this world grow strangely dim

in the light of His glorious face....."

My husband has been experiencing this too. Is this a common Christian experience, and how do you deal with it?

[Guest Mudfly]

You know what's sad, (from a personal standpoint),....I have been a Christian for 20 years, but the change you describe did not start to amplify itself in me until a year ago....when I re-dedicated my life back to Christ.

Now...my desire for alot of "wordly" things has diminished greatly, and I thank God for that! I believe that weaning helps us to be "in the world" and not "of the world". I also think it's a heart issue, a total surrender if you will.

In Him,

Mudfly

"There are two powers in this world. The power OVER people, and the power WITH people. Ponteous Pilate had Power OVER people...but Jesus had power WITH the people." -John Hagee

[refugepsa91]

All is vanity under the sun.........

Since becoming a Christian, a follower of Christ, I have been finding it increasingly difficult to stay interested in worldly things. So much of what occupies most people seems so pointless, so much of the chatter seems idle.

It's difficult to balance, because I know I'm here on earth for however long and have to care for and be a good steward to what I have, keep busy, occupy til He comes, so to speak.

It reminds me of a song I heard on the raido:

"Keep your eyes upon Jesus

And seek ye His glorious ways....

The things of this world grow strangely dim

in the light of His glorious face....."

My husband has been experiencing this too. Is this a common Christian experience, and how do you deal with it?

I know the feeling....I take my daughter to dance class....while there sitting in the room with all the others mommies....I just couldn't take it anymore I got up and walked out and waited in my van until class was over...the things they were talking about...as you said OneAccord...were pointless.

I find too that I am not interested in the things that I used to want or felt that I had to have I see this as a good thing...be content with what you have and don't demand more...at least thats where I am right now.

Love and Blessings,

Angel H.

[rafter]

I think it is common for people who have excepted Jesus to feel this way. In reality you are no longer of this world, but your home is literally in heaven with the Father. Of course the things of this world are pointless. We are only here, now, to do the will of the Father. We have a job to do. So how do we cope with it?

I would say get on your knees and seek God more, although that would make the problem worst wouldn't it? I think you just have to live with this feeling and keep your heart focused on Jesus. The author and finisher of our faith.

I hope this helps knowing you are not alone in how you feel oneaccord. Be encouraged and keep up the good fight. Ask God to send you where and to who he wants you....... Be thankful your husband feels this way too. It helps to be equally yoked.......

[whatsitmean]

All is vanity under the sun.........

Since becoming a Christian, a follower of Christ, I have been finding it increasingly difficult to stay interested in worldly things.  So much of what occupies most people seems so pointless, so much of the chatter seems idle. 

It's difficult to balance, because I know I'm here on earth for however long and have to care for and be a good steward to what I have, keep busy, occupy til He comes, so to speak.

It reminds me of a song I heard on the raido:

"Keep your eyes upon Jesus

And seek ye His glorious ways....

The things of this world grow strangely dim

in the light of His glorious face....."

My husband has been experiencing this too.  Is this a common Christian experience, and how do you deal with it?

From a general perspective, I should say, if this is not happening in your life, it ought to be. The way to deal with it is to set your affection on things above. That is to value the things that our LORD values.

Phi 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Our process in this life is to be transformed to HIS likeness. We can not do it ourselves but we should be crying out to God to do it for us.

No man shall be condemned because he did not change his own heart, but because he did not cry to God to change it, who gave him his Holy Spirit for this very purpose, and which he, by his worldly-mindedness and impiety, quenched. Whoso hath ears to hear let him hear: and may the Lord save the reader from an impenitent and unfruitful heart!

Clark's commentary on Mat 13:23

Entering into heaven I not only want to here Him say well done, but this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Then was I as one who found favor in HIS eyes.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

This verse is worth giving some consideration to:

Romans 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

As long as we are in this world, we are "subject to vanity". When we find outselves becoming content "with it", then we better take a long hard look at ourselves.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Adstar]

All is vanity under the sun.........

Since becoming a Christian, a follower of Christ, I have been finding it increasingly difficult to stay interested in worldly things.  So much of what occupies most people seems so pointless, so much of the chatter seems idle. 

It's difficult to balance, because I know I'm here on earth for however long and have to care for and be a good steward to what I have, keep busy, occupy til He comes, so to speak.

It reminds me of a song I heard on the raido:

"Keep your eyes upon Jesus

And seek ye His glorious ways....

The things of this world grow strangely dim

in the light of His glorious face....."

My husband has been experiencing this too.  Is this a common Christian experience, and how do you deal with it?

That is great to hear One Accord. This world is really caught up in vanity isn't it? It is very hard to get enthusiastic about wasting our time climbing social ladders and obtaining riches and such. Playing the worldly game, the one where few are winners, the game that is played by the eternal losers.

I know what you mean when you talk of the pointless things that worldly people are fixated on. Rejoice One Accord the Spirit is working within you to bring you out of this world while still being in this world. For while we, like all men are in this world we are not off this world.

How do I deal with it?

I spend my time talking to my brothers and Sisters in Jesus trying to help and seeking help with them as we journey back home. Oh to be home again :il: Oh to see an end to vanity. May it be soon.

1 John 2:15

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

John 12:25

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

1 Corinthians 1:20

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1 Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness";

1 John 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

1 John 4:4

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

1 John 2:16

For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

1 John 2:17

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[tsth]

Yes, it is hard One Accord,

It seems that the margin of worldliness and Godliness, is getting wider and wider, doesn't it? I think it is just indicative of Jesus' anticipated return. It was so fitting for Jesus to tell the disciples, (who were so enamored by the magnitude of their wonderful building "the church") not one stone will be left. In other words, those things will become as nothing one day, and the truly Important, will be back in focus to the world. Just as it/He is with us!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Matthitjah]

Bless you brethren,

I find I can no longer be in the same room as the people who mindlessly drivel about how great J-Lo is. Or even about how cool the latest T.V. program is. I can't even watch prime time T.V. anymore. I used to Love it.

I also find no pleasure in watching a trial like the Kobe Bryant thing on the news. I am aware it is there. It is not a focus only a distraction to me. I have been a Christian for a long time. Only I used to be one who denied the power thereof.

I remember the OJ thing and I would watch for hours on end. It was a distraction. A smoke bomb to draw my attention. Anything to take your mind off the Lord.

I was at work and listening to the ceasless drivel about how well everybodys daughters were doing in their various competitive functions. It was a chorus of vanity. When they looked at me and said what makes you proud about your daughter? My reply was I am proud that she reminds me to say Grace. That she remembers the Lord before she goes to bed. That she prays for lost family members. They looked at me like the man with three heads. Now my daughter does skate and dance amongst other things. The difference is that those things are not the focus of her life.

I think that the Lord is beggining to seperate His people.

I am interested to hear from others. As I have noticed this a lot lately.

He will have His people!

Peace,

Dave

[Guest Teri]

Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Read Ecclesiates, I think Solomon wrote this during a period of what you speak. And yes I have been in and out of this for two years now. I get nothing out of anything unless it is of God. I too have a hard time with all of this. At work I feel very overwhelmed at times because peoples favorite subject is themselves. They speak as if each of their things are unique like it's never been done before or no one has ever had that particular experience.

I think that is why so many of us are resorting to this type of venue. We want to talk about God, we want to rejoice and feel good about our Lord and Savior and the majority of the populace is quite uneducated in this area, and sad to say quite uninterested. People are so vain they find all their little experiences to be more interesting than God. Now how could anything we come up with be more interesting than God? I do this little mental gymnastics to overcome the boredom of listening to all the drivel. While someone is yaking about their particular situation I try to imagine how the Holy Spirit is trying to get through to them in the situation, or when watching the news I think about the spiritual realm and wonder about the arch angels strategies. My husband teases me about walking around with my head in the clouds and I say it's much more interesting there. I get the kids going on conversations about who they want to talk to when they get to heaven. Me and my best freind can talk endlessly about who we will get to meet at the Wedding banquet. So it's just how I amuse myself in the here and now.

But I know what you speak of oh so well. Once in a while I lose it. I had this girl at work who for weeks talked of nothing else but her neighbor who had his boat parked a couple of inches on her property. She finally decided to take him to court for this. I lost it. I said do you realize what you have been yaddling about for weeks, two inches of dirt, that's all and it's not even really yours. It's God's and your going to die and the dirt will still be there and your going through all this trauma over two inches of dirt, do you realize how crazy you sound? Well needless to say that was not the way to handle it and she is still not talking to me.

In Yeshua's love

Teri