Baptist City Blog

Ecclesiastes 7:16

Certainly, every generation has their problems, but when you look at what this world calls “The greatest generation,” you see a generation which seemed to be much happier than this present generation that tends to have everything at their fingertips. My grandparents were part of that generation. When looking at what they had, you see a couple who lived very simple lives but were happy and stayed married for seventy-two years. I believe one of the reasons their generation was comparatively happy is because they did not overcomplicate life.

This present generation in which we live seems to be a generation that is angry and unhappy. With the nicer homes, fancier cars and electronic blessings, this generation would be happy if these things brought happiness. Yet, I believe this generation has lost the simplicity of my grandparent’s generation. Overcomplicating life is what has destroyed many marriages and lives.

God says in the verse above, “Be not righteous over much…” God is warning that overcomplicating life will destroy you. At the end of the verse God asks, “…why shouldest thou destroy thyself?” God is showing that being over too much is what complicates life. Being over too much is a self-destructive action. The more things you add to your life the more complicated your life becomes. It is the overcomplicating of one’s life that adds to the frustration and causes one to eventually destroy themselves.

Moreover, overcomplicating life has nothing to do with how righteous you live. Notice that God says, “Be not righteous over much…” It’s the overcomplicating of life that causes one to become self-destructive. Certainly, a righteous life benefits a person, but living a righteous life and then adding too many things to it is still self-destructive. It is learning to live a simple life that helps one to discover happiness.

Let this verse be a wake-up call in your life and relationships. Be careful that you don't overcomplicate your personal life by adding too many responsibilities. There are times in life when you have to say, “No.” You can only do so many things in life without becoming overwhelmed. Once you become overwhelmed with responsibilities, then you become edgy and lash out at people. People who are normally easy-going people become touchy and angry when they are overwhelmed due to overcomplicating life.

Furthermore, be careful about overcomplicating relationships. Possessions don't bring happiness to relationships. Many people have destroyed a marriage or parent/child relationship by trying to buy ones love. The only thing you are doing when you add things to a relationship is that you adding to what complicates that relationship. You will find that the happiest relationships are the relationships that have not overcomplicated them with things.

Friend, let me warn you about overcomplicating your life and relationships. Learn to be content with what you have. Realize that possessions and things don't bring happiness to relationships and life. Simply put, the more simple your life is, the easier it will be to manage.