by Leo Schuster | Lead Pastor
In his recently published book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, Harvard professor and happiness expert Arthur Brooks argues that meaning in life—more than any other contributor to happiness—”predicts active engagement with life and an ability to cope with suffering.”
Yet many of us know the feeling all too well: a gnawing sense of emptiness. We do our best to suppress it. We stay busy, grind through the hours, keep ourselves distracted, and scroll away our free time.
On August 16, we’ll launch our new ministry year with a sermon series called Under the Sun: The Search for Meaning in Life.
“Under the sun” is a phrase that appears repeatedly in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. It describes life as we experience it—with all its limitations, gratifications, frustrations, and mysteries. At its heart, Ecclesiastes is a search for what makes life truly worth living. Though written thousands of years ago, it speaks with remarkable insight into our modern world, where we’re often consumed by achievement, pleasure, productivity, and self-realization. It strips away our illusions and points us toward a deeper, more lasting joy.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that meaning can’t be found by simulating life through technology or by relegating the spiritual dimension of life to the margins. Life without God slowly atrophies the soul. But when we embrace the transcendent, we discover a world overflowing with breathtaking beauty, extravagant love, and enduring hope. As that reality reshapes our everyday lives, we become more resilient people—people who can experience genuine joy and meaning even in life’s bitter moments.
I hope you’ll join us for this important series beginning Sunday, August 16. Better yet, invite a friend to come with you.
