Ecclesiastes is a testament to a man who spent his life filling his mind/heart with too much information.
His conclusion was “for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Seven times he proclaims of his investigation and study and seven times he concludes of this endless parade of vanity and vexation of spirit.
I would suggest that the preacher in Ecclesiastes is a picture of who we must choose not to be.
We live in a world with many voices.
Voices that often do not add anything of significance to us.
These voices may not be inherently evil. It could be that the voices are filling spaces where something better might be better.
The real challenge is that too often if you were to take all of the influences/voices/information/data that fills our minds and hearts in a given day and were to analyze them, the take away would be that it did nothing to improve or challenge me to improve.
A purposeful choosing.
I have the power of choosing what I read.
I have the power of choosing what I watch.
I have the power of choosing what I think about.
Paul gave us a recipe for peace.
Don’t worry about anything.
Pray about everything.
Be thankful.
This appetizer of our daily spiritual intellectual recipe is the base for which we apply all the other ingredients.
Finally, when you get the base set, you begin to add to this truth.
Add to this, honest and just things.
Go and seek out pure, lovely and things that will make you praise God.
Examples of christianity and the working of God.
There you have the ingredients to a mind and heart whose will be a house where the God of peace finds a home.
In conclusion Paul added a little simple and practical advice.
You remember the things we taught you, you heard it from me and I lived it out in front of you? Add these two things together, a healthy thought life and a life that reflects a Biblical motivation and the results will be worth sharing with everyone.
The God of peace shall be with you.
Philippians 4
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
JB Phillips
6-7 Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.
8-9 Here is a last piece of advice. If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of God, fix your minds on the things which are holy and right and pure and beautiful and good. Model your conduct on what you have learned from me, on what I have told you and shown you, and you will find the God of peace will be with you.