Ecclesiastes 2:16-17

Ecclesiastes 2:16-17 (ESV): “16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

Jesus once asked, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). Living for worldly gain is ultimately pointless—you can’t take any of it with you. That’s why Jesus instructs us to store up treasures in heaven by living for Him, not for ourselves.

Solomon eventually realized that everything he had been striving for was temporary. All his wealth and accomplishments would be passed on to someone who hadn’t worked for them. This realization led him to a place of despair—he began to hate life, seeing it as meaningless. What he failed to recognize at that moment is that our works done for Christ carry eternal value. That’s why Scripture urges us to “set our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2).

Are you weary of toiling for things that don’t last? That frustration, that sense of emptiness, often comes from living for the wrong things. No earthly possession can satisfy your soul. So stop striving for the temporary—invest in the eternal. When you store up treasures in heaven, not only will your soul find peace and fulfillment now, but your life will also echo into eternity.  “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” – C.T. Studd

Father, forgive us for chasing after things that cannot satisfy. Teach us to set our minds on what is eternal and to live for You alone. Show us the works You’ve prepared for us, and help us to walk in them. In Jesus’ name, amen.