From Dust to Dust (Ecc 3:16–4:4)

Although our infinite God has given us the responsibilities of life to bring us fulfillment, as we look around, people are not fulfilled. The Preacher saw that wickedness abounded in the earth (3:16). This did not bother him, because he knew that God would judge it in his time (3:17). The sobering reality is that wicked or not, man or beast, everything in this fallen universe exists under the curse of death (3:18–19). Man was created by God from the dirt and after death, he will decompose and return to dust. In fact, the Preacher coins the famous phrase "from dust to dust" (3:20). An understanding of eternity and death drives us to enjoy the gifts that God has given us in this life (3:22).
Furthermore, life is full of difficulty and oppression. It seems that the weak are oppressed by the powerful, and nobody can seem to stop them (4:1). Sometimes it seems as if death is the only way to get away from this kind of oppression (4:2). The Preacher, however, says that even better off are those who have not yet been born and have not seen the evil in the world (4:3). His conclusion is that mankind’s envy, not God, is the source of all this oppression and conflict (4:4). The difficulties of life are caused by man’s self-centeredness and his desire to put himself first.
Perhaps you feel like life is unfair and that you are constantly being pushed around and never able to meet your goals and dreams. Perhaps you are bitter at God because of things you have not been able to do. Proverbs 13:10 says, "Only by pride cometh contention." In other words, our pride is the cause of interpersonal conflict, arguments, and strife. When you feel like everywhere you go there is conflict and difficulty, you should check your own heart for pride. When we insist on doing things our way, when we want to do them, it always causes conflict. This too is a futile "striving after wind."