I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 NIV
Humans experience change, decay, and uncertainty, but God acts in permanence. His works never fade, and His decrees never weaken. When the author says, “nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it,” he highlights the completeness of God’s actions. God never leaves His work unfinished, and no human effort can improve or diminish His purpose. God alone controls time, creation, and history, and humanity cannot rewrite His eternal plan.
Furthermore, God acts so humans will revere Him. He calls people to worship, obedience, and humility. His eternal works invite reverence, not terror, and awaken awe of His wisdom, power, and authority. When humans recognise the permanence of His works, they encounter their dependence on Him.
Isaiah 46:25 declares that God’s counsel stands and that He carries out all His pleasure. God executes His plans without fail, and no one can alter His purpose. James 1:17 emphasises that every good and perfect gift comes from God, the Father of lights, who never changes and casts no shadow of turning. God’s unchanging character ensures that His works remain complete and flawless.
The psalmist also in Psalm 33:11 affirms that God’s thoughts endure for all generations, and His counsel stands forever. Human schemes may shift, but God’s purpose never wavers. Jesus confirms the same truth when He says that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35). Through these scriptures, God demonstrates that His works possess permanence, power, and authority, and nothing humans do can add or subtract from them.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 also teaches a personal lesson: humans must let God finish His work in their lives to avoid other hands shaping what only He intends. When humans try to rush the process or invite others to influence God’s plan, they risk distorting His perfect design. God works in perfection and knows the right season, the right method, and the right outcome. Trusting Him allows His work to reach completion according to His will. Paul affirms this truth when he says that God, who began a good work in believers, will carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ.
When we embrace Ecclesiastes 3:14, we learn to rest in God’s sovereignty. Life gains meaning within His eternal design. We live humbly, acknowledging that God alone creates works of everlasting value. We also live with confidence because God’s actions endure forever. His salvation, His covenant love, and His kingdom remain untouched by human failure.
Living It Out
God’s works endure, and His plans never fail. Unlike human efforts that fade or falter, what He begins, He completes. This means you can live with confidence, trusting that your life is secure in His hands. Instead of chasing alternatives or trying to control outcomes, surrender to His perfect timing and unchanging will.
Let reverence rise in your heart as you reflect on His permanence. Worship Him for His faithfulness. Trust Him for His timing. Follow Him with humility. And rest in the assurance that what God does will endure forever.