CAN WE RETAIN THE SPIRIT AFTER DYING?

Ecclesiastes 8:8  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. (KJV) Acts 9:37  And it came to pass in those days, that she (Tabitha) was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. (KJV) Acts 9:40  But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 8:8 is saying that we can only retain God's spirit by God's grace.  In other words, if we wanted to retain God's spirit, but God chose not to allow us to, then we would not be able to.  This has nothing to do with what happened to Tabitha.  Her spirit was not retained within her body, anyway, but restored to the body after her death by God's grace.  Not a contradiction.