“We’ve heard great ministry ideas but they sound like a repeat of every other great ministry idea that failed. We hear people make promises and sit back and wait for them to let us down. Over time, our cynicism grows into anger and bitterness.”

In our homeschool, I’ve been going through a cycle of World History with my children. We began with ancient civilizations and have moved slowly through the centuries each year. Most recently, we studied WWII.

Each time I read an event in history, one of the kids inevitably mutters, “Another story of someone trying to conquer and take over the world.” They groan as they hear stories of dictators and rulers making promises, because they know that in the end, they will rule with an iron fist—until the next dictator comes along.

Cynicism Under the Sun

Doesn’t life seem that way? Just another story in a stream of the same stories we’ve heard over and over. This is how the Teacher felt in the book of Ecclesiastes. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new?” It has been already in the ages before us” (1:9-10).

That negative and pessimistic tone is one of cynicism. Related to cynicism are pessimism, skepticism, weariness, and doubt. Cynicism expects the worst. It gives up hope. Paul Miller wrote in A Praying Life, “Cynicism creates a numbness toward life. Cynicism begins with the wry assurance that everyone has an angle. Behind every silver lining is a cloud. The cynic is always observing, critiquing, but never engaged, loving, and hoping.”1

Cynicism is a problem for many believers, especially those who have spent much of their life in the church. We’ve seen church members come and go. We’ve seen churches rise and fall. We expect conflict and when it comes, anticipate it will split the church in two. We’ve heard great ministry ideas but they sound like a repeat of every other great ministry idea that failed. We hear people make promises and sit back and wait for them to let us down. Over time, our cynicism grows into anger and bitterness. Some might even write off the church and give up altogether.

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes felt this cynicism toward life. He had everything a person could want. He spent his life accumulating wisdom, wealth, and power. Yet they all let him down. They were all useless— “vanity” he called it. He looked at his relationships and found them lacking too. He observed the hard and seemingly fruitless life of those around him and came to the conclusion, “Vanity of vanities…all is vanity” (12:8).

There Is Something New

It’s true, when we look to people, money, possessions, heroes, kings, presidents, work, church leaders, or money to save us, they will all let us down. And let’s be honest, we’ll let them down too. Being let down can lead to cynicism—but it doesn’t have to. As believers, we don’t have to remain there; cynicism doesn’t have to have the last word. Because the truth is, there actually is something new. Actually Someone new: Jesus Christ. The King of Glory wrapped Himself in human skin and became a frail, helpless baby. Talk about something new!

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