We all have days when we wonder, Why bother? What’s the point? A lot of my life has felt like it just didn’t really matter. I’m sure you feel the same way from time to time. That’s because of futility—#26 on my alphabetical list of 70 things every man needs to know.

 You see, the world is not just made up of good and evil. I first understood this when studying, of all things, glucose! Glucose is composed of three chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. In a similar way, the world is composed of three forces: good, evil, and—because of the Fall—futility. 

What is futility? Futility is that empty feeling we all get when our plans are frustrated—when our efforts seem wasted, worthless, useless, or pointless—as though nothing really matters. Feeling the full weight of his own futility, King Solomon said it best, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” (from Ecclesiastes 1:2). For most of us, evil is a small problem compared to our futility.

A man’s futility sharply contrasts with a woman’s futility. Generally, women feel the pain of the Fall in their key relationships such as children and marriage, whereas men feel it in their work and tasks (see Genesis 3:16–19). As a man, you must do your work while feeling the prick of thorns.

However, far from being a bad thing, futility is the grace of God that is saving us:

“For the creation was subjected to frustration [futility], not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it [God], in hope that the creation itself [including humans] will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (see Romans 8:20–21, NIV).

Futility is the chief tool by which God sovereignly draws you to Himself by allowing aspects of your life to become so frustrating that you turn to Him of your own free will. (Incidentally, this illuminates much about the relationship between sovereignty and free will.) He even bends the free will of those who don’t believe to His will through futility (e.g., consider Pharaoh, “let my people go,” the plagues, and the eventual Exodus).

Paul wrote of his own futility: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15, NIV).

As with Paul, God uses your futility not just to shape you but to reach others through you. What an amazing God! 

One last thing. Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us from evil.” But He never said, “Deliver us from futility.” That’s worth pondering.

So next time you feel like your work is meaningless or your efforts are pointless, remember: God is forming you, not failing you.

For reflection and discussion:

1. Where in your life right now are you most feeling the sting of futility?

 2. How might God be using that frustration to draw you closer to Him—or to shape you for someone else’s benefit?

3. Finally, I want to invite you to take back ground you may have surrendered, and position futility not as defeat but as divine purpose—right now, today. With that in mind, what is one area of your life where you’ve been tempted to give up—because it feels futile—that you can reframe today as a way God may be drawing you closer to Himself or using you to impact someone else?