Composure for Life’s Challenges

Composure for Life’s Challenges

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Aug 10, 2025

Series: Living Life Backward

Text: Ecclesiastes 8:1-17

How do we work our way through a life that is unfair, cruel and confusing?

If there is one key factor to keeping our composure in life, it is humility.

I. POISE

Read Ecclesiastes 8:1

The average person is deprived of godly wisdom (read Proverbs 8:35-36)

William Stridger –  “A person’s face is the signature of his soul.”

Abe Lincoln – “Every person over 40 is responsible for his own face.”

II. PRUDENCE

Read Ecclesiastes 8:2-5

Solomon reminds us of the importance of obeying authority

Tact = the ability to avoid needless offenses

III. PRINCIPLE

Read Ecclesiastes 8:6-7

Solomon tells us that a wise man waits patiently for God’s time of reckoning

IV. POWER

Read Ecclesiastes 8:8-10

To have composure in life’s challenges, we must realize there is much in life we can’t control

Solomon lists 3 things in life we can’t control:

1. Death
2. Distress*
3. Deception

* “We mothers must take care of the
possible and trust God with the
impossible. We are to love, affirm,
encourage, teach, listen to, and care for
the physical needs of the family.

We cannot convict of sin, create hunger
and thirst after God or convert. These are
miracles, and miracles are not in our
department.” – Ruth Bell Graham

V. PATIENCE

Read Ecclesiastes 8:11-13

Warren Wiersbe  – “What good is a long life if it is only a shadow going into the blackness of darkness forever?”

VI. PERSPECTIVE

Read Ecclesiastes 8:14-17

Don’t let what you can’t understand destroy what you can enjoy