Joyfully Occupied

 “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
(Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)

The Hebrew word for “occupied” means “to cause to be busy or fully engaged and active.” So, the writer here is telling us God will keep us busy and active with joy in our hearts. In other words, there is a state of being where the joy of being with Jesus for eternity fills our hearts, keeping it busy and engaged at all times. 

Read the verse again – it doesn’t say we fill our hears with joy, but that God does the filling. It’s not a natural work, but something supernatural from God.

What happens when we God does this? Solomon tells us in this verse: “Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.” 

This kind of contentment doesn’t come from things we have – those will never be enough. Godly contentment comes from being occupied with joy at where we are. Some would call it “our lot in life.” You can always look around and see someone who looks like they have more, but that doesn’t mean they are occupied with joy in their hearts.

Here is your question for today: What does it look like to be occupied with joy in our hearts?