Futililty: pointlessness or uselessness; serving no purpose

Read: Ecclesiastes 2

Solomon considered the pointless cycle of life in chapter one. He turns to the futility of life in chapter two. In an effort to find meaning, he turned to pleasure and work. He found both to be quite meaningless in themselves.

He sought laughter, wine, huge homes, beautiful vineyards, gardens and parks. He afforded himself every luxury known to humankind at the time. He summed up his experience like this:

Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

He feared his successors, the benefactors of all his hard work, would be foolish and wasteful. As he pondered it, he asked this question? “So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest.” (Ecc. 2:22-23)

His conclusion? “There is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.” Ecc. 2:24

For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him.

Ecclesiastes 2:25-26a

Solomon tried to find meaning and purpose in life apart from God. It didn’t work for him. Does it work for you?

Could bringing God into your daily activity – your appointments, aspirations, acquisitions – provide the meaning you desire?