Why It’s Never Enough Without God | Ecclesiastes 2:7-8

02/11/25 • 4 min

Have you ever worked tirelessly for something, convinced it would bring fulfillment—only to realize, after all your effort, that it still wasn’t enough? Solomon knew that feeling well. He didn’t just stumble into wealth and pleasure; he worked for it. He bought, gathered, and acquired more than anyone before him. Yet, in the end, it left him just as empty.

Welcome to The Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is Ecclesiastes 2:7-8.

I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. — Ecclesiastes 2:7-8

This account is not just a list of Solomon's possessions—it’s a record of his relentless pursuit. Solomon bought slaves, had vast herds and flocks, gathered silver and gold, and got entertainers and concubines. Every verb tells the story of a man striving, building, collecting—believing that just a little more would finally bring contentment. But it never did.

And isn’t that how we live?

We hustle, we save, we upgrade, thinking the next thing will bring lasting satisfaction. We work hard to fill our lives with more, only to find that more isn’t enough. If wealth, status, and pleasure could satisfy, Solomon would have been the happiest man on earth. Instead, his achievements became his confession: No matter how much you get, it will never be enough without God.

The harder we work for what doesn’t last, the more we miss what truly matters. Solomon teaches us that even our best efforts at self-fulfillment will fail if they’re apart from God.

What are you working so hard for? Is it leading to lasting joy or temporary satisfaction? Instead of striving for things that will fade, why not strive just as hard for what lasts forever? Jesus said, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life” (John 6:27). The time and energy we spend chasing wealth and pleasure could be invested in knowing Christ, growing in faith, and storing up treasure in heaven. Work hard—but work for eternity.

#TrueFulfillment, #ChasingGodNotGold, #WorkForEternity

ASK THIS:

What have you been working hard for, and has it brought lasting fulfillment?
How does Solomon’s pursuit of wealth and pleasure compare to your own desires?
What does John 6:27 teach about what we should truly strive for?
How can you practically shift your focus from earthly gain to eternal treasure?

DO THIS:

Shift your focus from striving for temporary success to investing in what lasts—your relationship with God and His eternal kingdom.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me to recognize that no amount of wealth, success, or pleasure can satisfy my soul apart from You. Teach me to labor for what truly lasts and find my fulfillment in You alone. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

One Day When We All Get To Heaven.

Welcome to The Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is Ecclesiastes 2:7-8.

And isn’t that how we live?

The harder we work for what doesn’t last, the more we miss what truly matters. Solomon teaches us that even our best efforts at self-fulfillment will fail if they’re apart from God.

#TrueFulfillment, #ChasingGodNotGold, #WorkForEternity

ASK THIS:

What have you been working hard for, and has it brought lasting fulfillment?
How does Solomon’s pursuit of wealth and pleasure compare to your own desires?
What does John 6:27 teach about what we should truly strive for?
How can you practically shift your focus from earthly gain to eternal treasure?

DO THIS:

Shift your focus from striving for temporary success to investing in what lasts—your relationship with God and His eternal kingdom.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me to recognize that no amount of wealth, success, or pleasure can satisfy my soul apart from You. Teach me to labor for what truly lasts and find my fulfillment in You alone. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

One Day When We All Get To Heaven.

Previous Episode

Building Something That Lasts | Ecclesiastes 2:4-6

If you had unlimited resources, what would you build? A dream home? A business empire? Restore a car? Solomon had it all—yet when he finished, he looked around and asked, Was this worth it? His story forces us to ask: Are we building something temporary or something eternal?

Welcome to The Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is Ecclesiastes 2:4-6.

I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.— Ecclesiastes 2:4-6

Solomon had the resources, the power, and the vision to create whatever he desired. He built houses, cultivated vineyards, designed lush gardens, and even engineered irrigation systems to sustain his creation. On the surface, it might have looked like a kingdom of great prosperity. But beneath it all, he was left questioning its real worth and value.

Solomon’s statement reveals that no matter how grand our projects or ambitions are if they are built only for ourselves, they will not satisfy us. Notice his phrase, "I made myself." You see, we can do this too. We can pour time, money, and effort into building a dream—whether it’s a career, a home, or a legacy—but if God is not at the center, the forefront, and first in everything, then all we build is meaningless. Solomon’s wealth couldn’t buy meaning, and his accomplishments couldn’t provide lasting joy.

So, what are you building? Are you investing in the temporary or the eternal? Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). The only things that endure are those built for God’s glory. Remember: What you build won’t matter—who you build for does.

#EternalPerspective, #BiblicalWisdom, #FaithOverSuccess

ASK THIS:

What personal ambitions or goals are you pursuing most?
How do you ensure that God remains at the center of your efforts?
Have you ever achieved something significant only to feel unfulfilled?
What does storing up treasures in heaven look like in your daily life?

DO THIS:

Evaluate what you are building in life—career, family, wealth—and ask: Is God truly at the center of it?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me build my life on what truly matters—Your kingdom and Your purpose. Keep me from chasing empty pursuits and guide me to invest in the eternal. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Build My Life.

Next Episode

The American Dream vs. The Kingdom Dream | Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

We’re told that if we work hard enough, chase success, and indulge in life’s pleasures, we’ll finally be happy. That’s the American Dream, right? But what if that dream is too small?

Solomon had his own version of the dream—call it the Israeli Dream. He built an empire, amassed legendary wealth, indulged in every pleasure, and gained unmatched wisdom. And when he finally had it all, he looked back and said: “It was all a smoke show.” If the wisest, wealthiest man in history found no lasting fulfillment in his dream, maybe we should rethink ours.

Welcome to The Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is Ecclesiastes 2:9-11.

So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. — Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

Solomon chased every earthly prize. And for a moment, it felt good. He enjoyed his wealth, his wisdom, and his work. But then he had that aha moment—the realization that everything he had built, earned, and experienced was just smoke in his hands. He thought bigger than most, yet even his dream was too small.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We grind, climb, accumulate, and consume—always thinking the next thing will finally bring peace. A better salary, a bigger house, a longer vacation, a newer toy. But as Mick Jagger famously sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” And neither can we.

But our problem isn’t that we dream too big—it’s that we dream too small. We chase temporary things when we are made for eternal things. When God calls us to a Kingdom Dream, we settle for the American Dream.

Don't settle. Dream bigger. Invest better. Live smarter. Live for eternity.

So today, ask yourself: Am I chasing things that fade? If so, divert your heart, mind, and soul to something that lasts and is permanently fulfilling. You weren’t made for the Temporary Dream—you were made for Eternity.

#KingdomDream, #EternalPerspective, #ChasingWind

ASK THIS: