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DEALING WITH DISILLUSIONMENT anyone who is brave enough and humble enough
It’s possible that you could get everything you’ve to listen.
ever wanted and still be unsatisfied. Award-winning
actor and comedian Jim Carrey can attest to this. With nearly endless resources, this king was able to
After a successful acting career involving over 58 craft a life for himself that should have been, by all
movies and cultivating a net worth of $180 million, accounts, supremely satisfying. First, he pursued a
you might think he would feel satisfied with good education (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18). He observed
everything he’s accomplished. However, that’s not everything and accumulated a vast amount of
the case. Instead of talking about how fulfilling his knowledge. But the more he learned, the more
life has been, he advises that “...everybody should depressed he got. So, he decided to go after
get rich and famous and do everything they ever pleasure instead (2:1-11). He drank good wine, built
dreamed of, so they can see that it's not a beautiful home, hired lots of employees,
1
the answer.” accumulated treasures, enjoyed the arts, and slept
with lots of women. But none of those things were
Jim Carrey is not alone in his disillusionment. This is quite satisfying either.
a very common occurrence. In fact, British author
C.S. Lewis wrote about it as well. He explains the Finally, he decided to invest in his career and just
disappointment by saying, “There was something work hard (2:18-20). But even in that, he realized
we grasped at, in that first moment of longing, that he would die and someone else would inherit
which just fades away in the reality...The wife may the results of all his hard work. Thirty-eight times
be a good wife, and the hotels and scenery may during the book, you can almost see the king
have been excellent, and chemistry may be a very throwing up his hands in frustration as he repeats:
interesting job: but something has evaded us.” 2 “It is all meaningless, like chasing the wind!” Even
with all his unending resources, something had
If you’re honest with yourself, you know exactly evaded him.
what these two men are talking about. We’ve all set
our sights on something, held it within our grasp, At the end of the book, he specifically addresses
and then were unexpectedly left wanting. It’s those just starting out in life (12:1). Fueled by years
frustrating and unsettling. Many people come to of painful experience and disappointment, he
the conclusion that they’ve simply chosen the summarizes what he’s learned and implores readers
wrong thing. They go looking for a new spouse, to take a different path than he had. He explains
another job, a better group of friends. But what if that the things in this world are wonderful and
you never find what you’re looking for? Others give should be enjoyed, but that they’re not meant to be
into cynicism and bitterness. But what if there’s a what life is all about. No amount of achievement,
better way? pleasure, possession, or relationship is ever going to
be enough to satisfy you. And in the end, they will
LIFE ADVICE FROM A MAN WHO HAD IT ALL all slip through your fingers.
The Bible doesn’t shy away from the fact that
pursuing your dream life can be disappointing. In So, the king points us down a quite uncommon
fact, the entire book of Ecclesiastes is dedicated to path. He implores us to look outside the walls of our
this uncomfortable reality. Written by an extremely world for our purpose. Instead of focusing on what
wealthy and successful king towards the end of we can see or feel, he begs that we focus on the
his life, Ecclesiastes offers a cautionary tale to God who created it all (12:13).

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1 - “A Quote by Jim Carrey.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/1151805-i-think-everybody-should-get-rich-and-famous-and-do.
2 - Mere Christianity, by Lewis C S (Clive Staples), Simon and Schuster, 1996. WORD ON THE STREET MAGAZINE 13