Wisdom for Difficult Days, Part 1 of 3

Ecclesiastes 7:1–29

St. John’s United Church of Christ
Greeley, CO
Pastor Juvenal Cervantes
September 20, 2026

Introduction

I moved to this community for a change of pace. I really miss the big city, going out with my friends, and having access to alcoholic beverages whenever I wanted to. Now I live here, with two jobs, a wife, and five children. I really don’t want to wait tables for the next five years.

He was asked, “Where is God in your life?” It was like the deer in the headlights experience. His response, “Uh, I really don’t know. I mean, I go to the guy upstairs when I have problems, when I need help. I guess I need to look for a church and begin attending. I need wisdom.”

Such was the experience on Friday night after the Faith and Family night at UNC’s women’s volleyball game. Lanetta and Sylvia were with me as we engaged our waiter in a conversation on spirituality.

We all experience difficult days.

There are days when everything seems to go according to plan. But there are also days filled with disappointment, loss, conflict, uncertainty, and questions for which we do not have easy answers.

What do we need when life becomes difficult?

We need wisdom.

Not merely knowledge. Knowledge tells us what is happening. Wisdom helps us know how to respond to what is happening.

Ecclesiastes 7 is a practical chapter about living wisely in a world that is often painful and confusing. The Teacher does not pretend that life is always easy. Instead, he teaches us how God can use even difficult experiences to deepen our character and strengthen our faith.

The message of Ecclesiastes 7 is this: Difficult days can become teachers when we allow God to give us wisdom.

1. Difficult Days Can Teach Us What Really Matters

Ecclesiastes 7:1–4

The chapter begins with several surprising statements.

“The day of death is better than the day of birth.”

“Sorrow is better than laughter.”

“The house of mourning is better than the house of feasting.”

At first, these words sound pessimistic.

But the Teacher is not saying that sadness is better than joy or that death is better than life in every sense.

He is reminding us that difficult experiences can force us to think about what really matters.

At a funeral, we stop and reflect on life.

At a time of loss, we think about the people we love.

When we face hardship, we often discover what is truly important.

We can become so busy pursuing possessions, success, entertainment, and recognition that we forget the deeper questions of life.

Hardship has a way of clearing away the distractions.

A difficult season may teach us:

People matter more than possessions.

Character matters more than reputation.

Faith matters more than comfort.

Eternity matters more than temporary success.

Sometimes we learn the most important lessons not on our happiest days, but on our hardest days.

2. Wisdom Helps Us Accept Correction

Ecclesiastes 7:5–6

The Teacher says:

“It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools.”

Nobody enjoys being corrected. Several days ago, a couple of children decided to throw rocks at our house. I drove to the parents' house and told them what was happening, and if the children hit the plastic fence and it broke, they’ll have to pay $1000. The mother became defensive and simply said she’ll talk to her children.

When corrected, our natural response is often to become defensive.

But wise people understand that correction can be a gift.

A good friend may tell us something we don't want to hear.

A spouse may point out something we need to change. Shortly after Ms. Blanca and I married, she was aware I drank a beer every two or three months. She said, “I’m concerned that you drink. My family said, ‘Look at Juvenal, he is a pastor, and he drinks; it must be okay to consume alcohol.’ It is not a good testimony, especially as you and I know the dangers of drinking alcohol.” My friends, I have not had a single beer the last year and a half.

A pastor may challenge us spiritually.

God's Word may expose an attitude or behavior that needs to change. The question is not simply, “Do people criticize me?” The better question is: “Is there something God wants me to learn through this?”

Proverbs 12:1 says: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge.” Wisdom does not mean we are never wrong. Wisdom means we are willing to learn when we are wrong.

3. Wisdom Keeps Us From Being Controlled by Anger

Ecclesiastes 7:8–9

Ecclesiastes says:

“The patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”

Difficult days can make us impatient.

Someone says something we don't like. Someone treats us unfairly. Something doesn't happen according to our plans. And suddenly anger takes control. But the Teacher reminds us that patience is a mark of wisdom.

We live in a world where people are quick to react. Social media makes it easy to respond immediately. Arguments can escalate quickly. But God's wisdom teaches us to pause.

Before we speak, pray. Before we react, listen. Before we send the message, think. Before we make the decision, seek God. Not every battle deserves our response. Sometimes the wisest thing we can say is nothing.

There was once a young boy who had problem controlling his temper. When he became angry, he would just say anything that came to his mind and hurt people. So his father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer and said, “Every time you get angry, hammer one nail into the fence in our backyard”.

The first few days the boy hammered so many nails that he emptied half the bag. Over the weeks, the number of nails he hammered to the fence reduced and gradually, his temper was much in control. Then came a day when he didn’t lose his temper at all. His father asked him to remove one nail each day that he manages not to lose his temper.

Finally, on the day the child was removing the last nail, his father says, “You have done well, boy. But do you see the holes in the wall? The fence is never going to be the same, even after repainting. Likewise, when you say mean things in anger, you will leave a scar in the person’s mind, as the nails did to the fence”.

Moral: Anger is a dangerous weapon like a knife. When you put a knife in a man and draw it out, the wound heals, but the scar remains.

Proverbs 25:28 reminds us, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

The psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). This is the word of the Lord.

Let us pray: “Almighty Father, during difficult days, teach us what really matters. Help us to grow when we experience seasons of challenge. Allow us to guard our emotions during times of challenge and stress. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may rise above difficulties and find peace in Your promises. Thank you for the promise that Your strength will sustain us through the storms that come to our lives. Amen.”