It’s been said that King Solomon was one of the wisest men who ever lived. In addition to wisdom, he had everything anyone could have wanted, and yet he is credited for writing Ecclesiastes, which is probably the most depressing book in the bible (and one of my personal favorites.)

In it we are told that everything is meaningless and the pursuit of it is like ‘chasing the wind.’

Why is our quest for money, status, and material possessions so senseless? Why do we have this constant nagging for something more, something new, something shiny, or something different than the thing we had before?

It’s because God has “planted eternity in the human heart.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

That God shaped hole was put inside us by our creator to draw us closer to Him. No amount of alcohol, drugs, money, or relationships will fill it. I’m not even sure God Himself can quench it while we are still living ‘under the sun.’

But I do know that for every believer it will be filled when we come face to face with “the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.” (1 John 2:25)

So in the meantime what are we to do? How are we to live with this restless spirit inside us that keeps us wanting more of what we know will not satisfy?

In the end, King Solomon; king of Israel and the richest man of his time concluded with this:

“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of every person.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Jodie Stevens