Hands Full of Toil

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Recently I sat down at my favorite coffee shop to work on homework. My plan was to push through four assignments in a few hours, just so I could be done with the class. I’m working on my bachelors in Biblical Studies. So, as you may have guessed, a lot of my assignments are about the Bible. I simultaneously love this and have a hard time with this. The assignments I needed to complete were not my favorite. 

So there I was, sitting in a coffee shop, staring at my computer screen.

I took a moment to pray before I began typing. I pleaded for God’s help, strength, and intelligence as I worked on the assignments. As I was praying, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking a phrase to me. Over and over, the phrase, “You’re toiling with your hands” circled in my head. 

When I realized that God was speaking to me… I stopped my insistent praying and flipped through my Bible, trying to remember where I read this phrase. I slowly skimmed the first few chapters of the book of Ecclesiastes, and there it was.

Ecclesiastes 4:6, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.”

My hands were full of toil and I was striving after the wind. In the Holy Spirit’s gentle correction, He led me to what was true. I needed to be quiet and sit with God. I had neglected Him. Before I tried to strive my way through homework about the Bible, He reminded me of His presence. He was inviting me to sit and acknowledge Him. This was yet another time when God reminded me to be with Him before I do for Him.

May we all be people who stop the striving, stop the meaningless toil, and begin all things by recognizing God’s presence.