We’re all chasing something.
It could be career success, financial stability, deep relationships, or personal growth. Maybe it’s the next adventure, the perfect family life, or even spiritual fulfillment. Each of us has our version of “purpose” that we’re striving for. And sometimes, in brief moments, we catch glimpses of meaning. But often, it slips through our fingers like mist, leaving us wondering if it’s all worth it.
This feeling is at the heart of what we learn from the book of Ecclesiastes—a book written by King Solomon, who had everything the world could offer. He had wealth, wisdom, pleasure, and power. And yet, as he reflects on his life, he asks a question we all grapple with: What’s the point?
Solomon’s exploration of life’s meaning is as raw as it is timeless. It’s a search for significance that feels endlessly frustrating. We want purpose, yet life often feels like a loop—an endless cycle of striving that leaves us exhausted and empty.
When the Chase Feels Empty
Solomon’s opening words in Ecclesiastes 1:2 cut straight to the heart of this feeling:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Solomon uses the Hebrew word hebel in this first verse, which means “vapor” or “breath.” It’s not just that life is pointless—it’s that it’s fleeting and elusive. It’s as if we’re chasing something that’s always just out of reach, like mist that dissipates as soon as we think we’ve captured it.
We’ve all had moments where the chase feels like this—whether we’re pursuing career goals, the perfect family, or even spiritual achievements. No matter how much we try to hold on to what we think will give us meaning, it slips away. Our accomplishments fade. Our desires grow back faster than we can satisfy them. This leaves us asking: Is it worth it?
When the Chase Feels Pointless
Ecclesiastes 1:3 asks the question we often avoid but know is in our hearts:
“What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?”
We work, sacrifice, and hustle—but what does it add up to in the end? Young adults feel the pressure of adulting—balancing work, relationships, and responsibilities while trying to figure out who I am in the world. Empty nesters might hit a midlife crisis when the realization hits: Is this really the life I want?
The “quarter-life” or “midlife crisis” is a modern expression of what Solomon points to in Ecclesiastes. Whether it’s in your 20s, 30s, or later, you reach moments when your expectations for life collide with the reality of what you’re experiencing. We ask ourselves: Is this all there is? Am I just going through the motions?
These crises, though painful, can actually be a gift—a wake-up call. They push us to ask deeper questions about our lives and purpose, and in that, they can be the beginning of discovering something more meaningful than what we were chasing before.
When the Chase Feels Endless
Solomon goes on to observe in Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 that life can feel like an endless cycle:
“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, and the rivers flow, but the sea is never full.”
Life feels repetitive. The cycles of nature go on and on. People live, they die, and others take their place. We wake up, work, sleep, repeat—and still, something feels missing.
This is the core frustration of living life "under the sun," as Ecclesiastes often refers to life from an earthly perspective, without reference to God. Viewing life in isolation—just under the sun—can feel like a futile, never-ending cycle. But God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That deep longing we feel? That is God pointing us to something beyond this world.
When the Chase Feels Hopeless
As Solomon continues his reflections, he concludes in Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 that there is nothing new under the sun. People come and go, but the earth doesn’t change. Our efforts and accomplishments fade from memory. It can be easy to feel as though nothing we do really matters in the grand scheme of things.
But this is where Ecclesiastes is so life-changing. It isn’t simply a depressing commentary on the meaninglessness of life. Instead, it’s a challenge to shift our perspective. Instead of chasing after fleeting things, we are invited to center our purpose on God—the One who has planted eternity in our hearts and holds the whole universe together.
Finding True Purpose
The aching longing we feel isn’t a problem—it’s a clue. God has created us with a hunger for something beyond the fleeting pleasures of this world. True meaning and purpose come not from what we accomplish under the sun, but from what we do with the time we have in relationship with God.
As we chase purpose, let’s chase the One who planted that longing in our hearts in the first place. Our pursuit of meaning is truly fulfilled when we center our lives on Him.
It could be career success, financial stability, deep relationships, or personal growth. Maybe it’s the next adventure, the perfect family life, or even spiritual fulfillment. Each of us has our version of “purpose” that we’re striving for. And sometimes, in brief moments, we catch glimpses of meaning. But often, it slips through our fingers like mist, leaving us wondering if it’s all worth it.
This feeling is at the heart of what we learn from the book of Ecclesiastes—a book written by King Solomon, who had everything the world could offer. He had wealth, wisdom, pleasure, and power. And yet, as he reflects on his life, he asks a question we all grapple with: What’s the point?
Solomon’s exploration of life’s meaning is as raw as it is timeless. It’s a search for significance that feels endlessly frustrating. We want purpose, yet life often feels like a loop—an endless cycle of striving that leaves us exhausted and empty.
When the Chase Feels Empty
Solomon’s opening words in Ecclesiastes 1:2 cut straight to the heart of this feeling:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Solomon uses the Hebrew word hebel in this first verse, which means “vapor” or “breath.” It’s not just that life is pointless—it’s that it’s fleeting and elusive. It’s as if we’re chasing something that’s always just out of reach, like mist that dissipates as soon as we think we’ve captured it.
We’ve all had moments where the chase feels like this—whether we’re pursuing career goals, the perfect family, or even spiritual achievements. No matter how much we try to hold on to what we think will give us meaning, it slips away. Our accomplishments fade. Our desires grow back faster than we can satisfy them. This leaves us asking: Is it worth it?
When the Chase Feels Pointless
Ecclesiastes 1:3 asks the question we often avoid but know is in our hearts:
“What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?”
We work, sacrifice, and hustle—but what does it add up to in the end? Young adults feel the pressure of adulting—balancing work, relationships, and responsibilities while trying to figure out who I am in the world. Empty nesters might hit a midlife crisis when the realization hits: Is this really the life I want?
The “quarter-life” or “midlife crisis” is a modern expression of what Solomon points to in Ecclesiastes. Whether it’s in your 20s, 30s, or later, you reach moments when your expectations for life collide with the reality of what you’re experiencing. We ask ourselves: Is this all there is? Am I just going through the motions?
These crises, though painful, can actually be a gift—a wake-up call. They push us to ask deeper questions about our lives and purpose, and in that, they can be the beginning of discovering something more meaningful than what we were chasing before.
When the Chase Feels Endless
Solomon goes on to observe in Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 that life can feel like an endless cycle:
“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, and the rivers flow, but the sea is never full.”
Life feels repetitive. The cycles of nature go on and on. People live, they die, and others take their place. We wake up, work, sleep, repeat—and still, something feels missing.
This is the core frustration of living life "under the sun," as Ecclesiastes often refers to life from an earthly perspective, without reference to God. Viewing life in isolation—just under the sun—can feel like a futile, never-ending cycle. But God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That deep longing we feel? That is God pointing us to something beyond this world.
When the Chase Feels Hopeless
As Solomon continues his reflections, he concludes in Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 that there is nothing new under the sun. People come and go, but the earth doesn’t change. Our efforts and accomplishments fade from memory. It can be easy to feel as though nothing we do really matters in the grand scheme of things.
But this is where Ecclesiastes is so life-changing. It isn’t simply a depressing commentary on the meaninglessness of life. Instead, it’s a challenge to shift our perspective. Instead of chasing after fleeting things, we are invited to center our purpose on God—the One who has planted eternity in our hearts and holds the whole universe together.
Finding True Purpose
The aching longing we feel isn’t a problem—it’s a clue. God has created us with a hunger for something beyond the fleeting pleasures of this world. True meaning and purpose come not from what we accomplish under the sun, but from what we do with the time we have in relationship with God.
As we chase purpose, let’s chase the One who planted that longing in our hearts in the first place. Our pursuit of meaning is truly fulfilled when we center our lives on Him.
Posted in Chasing Purpose