“Exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Problem: Humanity Becomes Wind Chasers<\/h3>\n
The writer of Ecclesiastes<\/strong> repeatedly describes life apart from God as “striving after wind.”<\/strong><\/p>\nWind cannot be grasped, stored, controlled, possessed, or understood. Yet people often spend their lives pursuing things that ultimately slip through their fingers.<\/strong> For the sake of this study, we’ll refer to them as “Wind Chasers”.<\/p>\n\n- Ecclesiastes 5:16 – What gain is there for toiling after the wind?<\/li>\n
- Ecclesiastes 1:14 – The wise and the fool both will die<\/li>\n
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 – The frustrations of this life<\/li>\n
- Proverbs 11:29 – “Inherit the wind.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Key Idea: <\/strong>A life disconnected (detached, disengaged, distant, divided, cut off) from God often produces activity without lasting substance<\/strong>. But, HOW do we get so disconnected from God?<\/p>\nHow do we inherit the wind’s emptiness?<\/h3>\nThrough Our Thoughts, Emotions, and Intentions<\/h4>\n
Our inward focus can chase empty things.<\/p>\n
\n- Proverbs 4:23 – “Watch over your heart with all diligence.”<\/li>\n
- Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things.”<\/li>\n
- Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
An unrestrained inner life can produce pride, envy, restless ambition, and self-centered desires.<\/p>\n
These can drive a person to pursue goals that ultimately have no eternal weight<\/strong>. Rather, we must learn to discipline the inner man. Ask yourself, “What is your why?” “What is your purpose?” And, “How does it benefit others and thus bring glory to God?”<\/p>\nThrough Our Freedom of Will and Internal Impulses<\/h4>\n
As an aside, as Americans, we have a unique governmental structure that has bastardized freedom into something it was never intended to mean. We’re so entitled about our freedom that we now hate the country that was experimented on. Consider all the people all over the world, the mass migration into the US, who want to be part of this freedom. Everybody loves America more than Americans! Absolute EMPTINESS!<\/p>\n
Numbers 14: 1-4 – The children of Israel had something special – FREEDOM. Yet they complained in the Wilderness: Shortly after fleeing Egypt, the Israelites grumbled against Moses and God because they were hungry, thirsty, and tired. They frequently romanticized their time in Egypt, remembering the food they ate while forgetting the brutal oppression they endured as slaves.<\/p>\n
God gave humanity real choice.<\/p>\n
\n- Joshua 24:15 – “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.”<\/li>\n
- Galatians 5:17 – Flesh vs. Spirit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Freedom without guidance often leads to self-indulgence, impulsive living, and short-term satisfaction. As a result, our freedom and impulse are often\u00a0effort poured into things that do not last.<\/strong><\/p>\nThrough Our Human Experiences<\/h4>\n
Life itself can shape our pursuits. Experiences such as success, failure, pain, and comparison with others.<\/p>\n
These experiences can redirect our priorities toward temporary achievements.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Ecclesiastes 1:14 – “All is vanity and striving after wind.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Experience alone does not produce wisdom. Experience filtered through God does.<\/strong><\/p>\nThrough Our Very Breath, Inner Life, and Consciousness<\/h4>\n
Interestingly, the Hebrew word\u00a0“<\/strong>hebel<\/strong><\/em>“<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Ecclesiastes<\/strong> means vapor, breath, or mist.\u00a0Human life itself is fragile and fleeting.<\/p>\n\n- James 4:14 – “You are a vapor that appears for a little time.”<\/li>\n
- Genesis 2:7 – God breathed life into man<\/li>\n
- Romans 12:1-4 – Be a living sacrifice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Our very existence is temporary<\/strong>, and without God, our pursuits become just as temporary.<\/p>\nWhat Wind Chasing Looks Like Today<\/h3>\n
Modern wind chasing includes:<\/p>\n
\n- Pursuing wealth as ultimate meaning<\/li>\n
- Building identity on career or reputation<\/li>\n
- Endless entertainment<\/li>\n
- Social comparison and validation<\/li>\n
- Achievements without spiritual purpose<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
None of these is evil itself – but\u00a0when they become ultimate, they become wind.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Download Audio by Garry Floyd How & Why We Inherit Wind’s Emptiness – and What We Can Do About It Text: Ecclesiastes 5:16 “Exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?” The Problem: Humanity Becomes Wind Chasers The writer of Ecclesiastes…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1261],"class_list":["post-94584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-vanity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":94591,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/spirit-away\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":0},"title":"Spirit Away: From Empty to Spirit-Filled Kingdom Builders","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Download Audio by Garry Floyd Text: Proverbs 11:24-31 Theme \"Wind\" Week-3 Focus - \"Empty\": Without God, life becomes a chase after the wind. But when we are born of the Spirit and centered on God, our lives gain weight, direction, and eternal significance. Introduction- When Life Feels Like a Strange\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88956,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/prevailing-winds\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":1},"title":"Prevailing Winds","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edward Smith via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 4, 31 December 1991 It is amazing how \"leading economic indicators\" can point in so many directions: ask ten economists which way the wind is blowing, and you'll get twelve answers. It's no wonder that so many people show little confidence in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61317,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/notes-on-the-brevity-of-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":2},"title":"Notes on the Brevity of Life","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Comparisons II Samuel 14:14 - Like water spilled on the ground I Chronicles 29:15 - Like a shadow, it will not stay Job 7:6-7 - Like a weaver's shuttle or the wind Job 9:25-26 - Like a swift messenger, a swift ship, or a swooping eagle Job 14:1 - Few\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Notes","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":84020,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-folly-of-playing-it-safe-ecclesiastes-1116\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":3},"title":"The Folly of Playing It Safe – Ecclesiastes 11:16","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Paul Earnhart via Biblical Insights, Vol 15, No. 1, January 2015 In Ecclesiastes 11, Solomon continues his admonitions to wise living when facing life's uncertainties. He has frequently reminded us that we cannot know what will come after us (Ecclesiastes 3:22; 6:12; 8:7; 10:14). God's providence is shrouded and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37078,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-was-the-lords-reasoning-for-showing-elijah-the-wind-earthquake-and-fire\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":4},"title":"What was the Lord’s reasoning for showing Elijah the wind, earthquake, and fire?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What was the Lord's reasoning for showing Elijah the wind, earthquake, and fire in I Kings 19:11-12? Why does the text say the Lord was not in the wind? Answer: \"Then He said, \"Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.\" And behold, the LORD passed by,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62173,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-day-of-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":94584,"position":5},"title":"The Day of Death","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ecclesiastes 7:1-6 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As gloomy as it may sound, there are few things guaranteed in life, but I can say for certain that barring our Lord\u2019s return, you will die. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Death is a fact of life. Those who are born will eventually die.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94584"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94584\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}