Ecclesiastes can read like a real downer. Many Bible scholars believe the author is David’s son, King Solomon, and much of the book sounds like one long refrain: meaningless, meaningless. What an encouraging way to start your day!  

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But that’s not how Solomon’s story started; he began his reign with remarkable promise. In 1 Kings 3 and 2 Chronicles 1, we see God give Solomon an incredible offer: ask for whatever you want. It’s a real-life Aladdin finding the genie in the lamp situation, but so much better because our God is actually real and all-powerful.  

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So, what does Solomon ask for? He asks for wisdom, and after he's blessed with it, he uses it well for a while. Thanks to the promises God has made to his father David, Solomon’s kingdom is at peace during his time. He has an incredible life with more wealth than one person could ever spend. Despite knowing God’s standards, though, and receiving a divine gift of wisdom, Solomon took foreign wives and concubines. It’s not just a few either; we’re talking about 1,000 women overall. He then followed them right into the worship of other gods. There’s a lesson here for all of us: knowing God’s Word and having the wisdom to apply it only help if we choose to obey. God does not force obedience, even when we know better.

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Many Bible scholars believe Ecclesiastes reflects Solomon looking back near the end of his life and considering the consequences of his choices. All the indulgence under the sun had left him feeling empty. None of it produced the satisfaction he thought it would. If you’ve ever gone through a moment or a season of indulgence, you can probably relate to Solomon’s words. In anger, it can feel satisfying to have just the right jab ready, until it doesn’t. We tell ourselves a few drinks or a smoke will help us decompress, but those things do not heal what we are actually trying to avoid. We think there’s no harm in trying to meet sexual or relational desires through outlets like pornography or romance novels. But on the other side, we often find ourselves more dissatisfied, not less. I think it’s one of the dirtiest and oldest tricks of Satan: the object of temptation looks so good until we partake of it, and then we find we’re actually taking poison.

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“Meaningless, meaningless” sounds really depressing, but I don’t think Solomon actually thought everything was meaningless. He had just come to realize that so much of what he had spent his life pursuing was. Anytime we settle for a counterfeit of what God says is best, we’re going to experience the same realization. It might not happen today or tomorrow, but eventually the emptiness of counterfeit things will show itself. God loves us too much to leave us at a poisoned well when He is offering living water. In His mercy, He will give us the painful opportunity to realize the truth so we can experience true freedom and satisfaction found only in Him and His ways.

Days like today call for deep, and maybe even painful, reflection and honesty. I promise you, friend, it’s worth it. Where are you indulging in a habit, addiction, or behavior that you know is not in line with God’s best for you? Make today the day you lay it down, repent, and choose to walk in freedom. I recognize that could be a big challenge, but it’s also only the first part.

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Are you in community with other believers? You need people to walk this journey with you, especially if you’re walking a pathway of recovery. It may feel as “small” as becoming a less angry parent or as “big” as recovering from active addiction. I use the quotes because it doesn’t really matter whether the struggle seems “big” or “small.” Any place where we choose indulgence over God’s truth matters. We need encouragement and accountability if we want to change. Get vulnerable with a trusted friend this week and ask them to pray and walk with you on this journey. Don’t have that friend yet? Ask God to show you who that person could be; then, be brave enough to make the ask. You may have to ask more than one person, but you will find your people. Trust God on it!