“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” — Ecclesiastes 1:2
Let’s be real, Ecclesiastes used to confuse me.
I’d read it and think,
Wait… so what’s the point? Do we just stop striving? Is everything I’m doing actually meaningless?
That messed with me.
Because I want to strive. I want to grow, build, hustle, sharpen, and rise up.
But if a man like Solomon..stacked with wisdom, success, and everything a man could want, says it’s all meaningless… then what are we even chasing?
I didn’t get it.
And honestly, I still wrestle with it.
Because my flesh wants to win, build, accomplish.
But I also know what it’s like to hit the goal… and still feel empty.
HERE’S WHAT HIT ME!
Solomon wasn’t saying life is meaningless.
He was saying life without God at the center is meaningless.
THE EMPTY PURSUIT OF STRIVING
The world pushes grind mode:
Get up. Hustle. Earn. Build your name. Get that respect.
Even as men who love God, we can fall into that trap.
We push our limits…
in our work, our goals, our spiritual walk..sometimes so hard we forget to ask:
Why am I doing this? Who is this for?
Solomon had it all:
Wealth. Power. Pleasure. Status. Wisdom.
And at the end of it all? It couldn’t satisfy his soul.
That’s why he called it meaningless.
Because apart from God, everything fades.
And I’ve felt that.
Grinding. Sacrificing. Hitting a goal.
Still feeling something’s missing.
SO WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERS?
Solomon wasn’t saying stop living.
He was saying stop living for the wrong things.
Character? Necessary. But if it’s just for your rep? It’s empty.
Discipline? Crucial. But if it’s to prove something? It’s hollow.
Excellence? A solid pursuit. But if it’s just about your name? It won’t last.
Success? Can be a blessing. But if it’s your foundation? It’ll crumble.
When God isn’t the center, all our effort becomes a cycle of never being enough.
But when He is the center?
Every moment, every effort… starts carrying real, eternal weight.
LIVING IN THE TENSION, STRIVING WITH PURPOSE
How do we move in this world of hustle but stay rooted in what truly matters?
- WORK HARD: BUT DO IT FOR THE LORD, NOT YOUR GLORY.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” — Colossians 3:23Excellence is worship. It’s not about being seen. It’s about honoring God with what He’s given you.
- BUILD DISCIPLINE: BUT DON’T MAKE IT YOUR GOD.
Train your mind. Train your body. Discipline matters.
But don’t let it be about pride or control.
Let it pull you closer to God, not elevate yourself.
- CHASE SUCCESS: BUT DON’T LET IT DEFINE YOU.
Success is good, when it’s surrendered.
But if success becomes your identity?
You’ll always feel like it’s not enough.
- ENJOY LIFE: BUT KEEP ETERNITY IN VIEW.
“There is nothing better… than to be happy and to do good while they live… this is the gift of God.” — Ecclesiastes 3:12–13
God wants us to enjoy life.
But not at the cost of forgetting what lasts.
WAKE-UP CALL
This isn’t just a one time realization.
It’s a daily battle.
I want to work hard, but not be defined by it.
I want to be disciplined, but not depend on my strength.
I want to succeed, but not forget what actually matters.
Let’s not chase empty pursuits, my man.
Let’s chase God, and let everything else flow from that.
Everything apart from God is meaningless.
But in Him, everything we do carries eternal weight.
That’s the difference.
That’s the real win.
That’s what actually matters.
Prayer
Father, I don’t want to waste my life chasing things that won’t last. I don’t want to build my success, my discipline, or my character on a foundation that will fade. Help me live for what actually matters. Align my work, my goals, and my desires with You. Let everything I do be for Your glory, not mine. In Jesus’ name, amen.