One of the greatest compliments a preacher can receive is this: “It felt like you were preaching directly to me.” It’s not the preacher—it’s the Holy Spirit, speaking through God’s Word, cutting to the heart. But can I be honest? Sunday’s message might have tempted you to think, This isn’t for me. Someone else needs to hear this more than I do.
But hang with me. Listen to God’s Word. This might be more relevant to your life than you realize.
Our Obsession with More
We live in a world obsessed with more. More stuff, more square footage, more savings, more likes, more income streams. Our social feeds are filled with luxury, upgrades, and the next best thing. The message is loud and clear: If you just had a little more, you’d finally be happy.
But Scripture calls this mindset what it is—chasing the wind.
Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest king of Israel, had it all—money, power, prestige. And yet, he saw through it. He called it meaningless. In Ecclesiastes 5, he warns us: the love of money will never satisfy.
You might think, I’m not obsessed with wealth. I’m content. But look deeper. What do your priorities, your financial decisions, your anxiety levels reflect?
The Sleepless Rich
Solomon noticed something strange: the more people had, the more they worried. Wealth hoarded or lost through misfortune brought grief and sleepless nights.
I remember during Hurricane Harvey—I slept like a baby. Why? I didn’t have much to lose. But for many, abundance is what keeps them up at night. What if I lose my savings? My job? My reputation?
And in the end, it’s all temporary.
We take nothing with us. We work hard, worry often, accumulate stuff—and leave it all behind. That’s the tragic treadmill of life disconnected from God: toil, frustration, darkness.
The Alternative: Satisfaction in God
But Solomon doesn’t leave us in despair. He offers a better way:
God invites us to enjoy what He’s given. Not in excess. Not in envy. But in contentment. And contentment begins when we call needs needs and wants wants. When our heart stops calling wants “needs,” we begin to rest in God.
God not only provides what we have—He gives us the ability to enjoy it. But that joy comes from Him, not the stuff.
A Biblical View of Wealth
Let’s frame wealth the way Scripture does.
1. Wealth Without Meaning Is Futile
Solomon reflects:
Wealth isn’t evil. The love of it is.
What are you trusting to satisfy you? If it’s not the Lord, it’s a false god.
2. Wealth Can’t Be Taken With You
Jesus told a parable of a rich man who stored up for himself but wasn’t “rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16–21) Death is certain. Live like it’s real.
3. Wealth Can Lead to Anxiety
It’s not just poverty that brings worry—plenty does too. Sometimes more creates more fear. When my retirement account dropped, I wasn’t worried—just curious. But the app greeted me with a banner: “Don’t worry!” Why? Because it knows wealth tempts us to.
Ask yourself: Is my peace tied to what I have or to who holds me?
4. Wealth Can Be a Blessing or a Curse
Paul warns:
Wealth can lead to greed or selfishness if we aren’t careful. Jesus said:
What we treasure shapes how we live. What God treasures is clear: He treasures us.
He showed it by sending Jesus. Jesus gave up the riches of heaven so that we could gain eternal life. If you have Him, you have enough.
So today, take the gift of contentment. It’s from God. And it’s better than chasing the wind.
But hang with me. Listen to God’s Word. This might be more relevant to your life than you realize.
Our Obsession with More
We live in a world obsessed with more. More stuff, more square footage, more savings, more likes, more income streams. Our social feeds are filled with luxury, upgrades, and the next best thing. The message is loud and clear: If you just had a little more, you’d finally be happy.
But Scripture calls this mindset what it is—chasing the wind.
Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest king of Israel, had it all—money, power, prestige. And yet, he saw through it. He called it meaningless. In Ecclesiastes 5, he warns us: the love of money will never satisfy.
“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
You might think, I’m not obsessed with wealth. I’m content. But look deeper. What do your priorities, your financial decisions, your anxiety levels reflect?
The Sleepless Rich
“The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:12)
Solomon noticed something strange: the more people had, the more they worried. Wealth hoarded or lost through misfortune brought grief and sleepless nights.
I remember during Hurricane Harvey—I slept like a baby. Why? I didn’t have much to lose. But for many, abundance is what keeps them up at night. What if I lose my savings? My job? My reputation?
And in the end, it’s all temporary.
“Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart.” (Ecclesiastes 5:15)
We take nothing with us. We work hard, worry often, accumulate stuff—and leave it all behind. That’s the tragic treadmill of life disconnected from God: toil, frustration, darkness.
The Alternative: Satisfaction in God
But Solomon doesn’t leave us in despair. He offers a better way:
“It is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor...for this is their lot.” (Ecclesiastes 5:18)
God invites us to enjoy what He’s given. Not in excess. Not in envy. But in contentment. And contentment begins when we call needs needs and wants wants. When our heart stops calling wants “needs,” we begin to rest in God.
“When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them...this is a gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:19)
God not only provides what we have—He gives us the ability to enjoy it. But that joy comes from Him, not the stuff.
A Biblical View of Wealth
Let’s frame wealth the way Scripture does.
1. Wealth Without Meaning Is Futile
Solomon reflects:
“Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:11)
Wealth isn’t evil. The love of it is.
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
What are you trusting to satisfy you? If it’s not the Lord, it’s a false god.
2. Wealth Can’t Be Taken With You
“I hated all the things I had toiled for...because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.” (Ecclesiastes 2:18)
Jesus told a parable of a rich man who stored up for himself but wasn’t “rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16–21) Death is certain. Live like it’s real.
3. Wealth Can Lead to Anxiety
“Their abundance permits them no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:12)
It’s not just poverty that brings worry—plenty does too. Sometimes more creates more fear. When my retirement account dropped, I wasn’t worried—just curious. But the app greeted me with a banner: “Don’t worry!” Why? Because it knows wealth tempts us to.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)
Ask yourself: Is my peace tied to what I have or to who holds me?
4. Wealth Can Be a Blessing or a Curse
Paul warns:
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap.” (1 Timothy 6:9)
Wealth can lead to greed or selfishness if we aren’t careful. Jesus said:
“You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
What we treasure shapes how we live. What God treasures is clear: He treasures us.
He showed it by sending Jesus. Jesus gave up the riches of heaven so that we could gain eternal life. If you have Him, you have enough.
So today, take the gift of contentment. It’s from God. And it’s better than chasing the wind.