07/24/2026
For most of us, it's something good: a successful career, financial security, a comfortable home, or the hope of leaving a meaningful legacy for the people we love. There's nothing wrong with those things. But Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 invites us to ask a deeper question: What if achieving everything we've been chasing still leaves us feeling empty?
If anyone knew what it was like to have it all, it was King Solomon. The Bible tells us he was the wisest and wealthiest king who ever lived. God blessed him with extraordinary wisdom, unimaginable wealth, influence, and success. But as he looked back over his life, he began to see things differently. Everything he had worked so hard to build would one day belong to someone else. He couldn't take any of it with him, and he couldn't control what happened to it after he was gone. That's why King Solomon described life apart from God as "meaningless, a chasing after the wind."
Here’s three spiritual reminders to help you stop chasing after earthly success or treasurers that won’t leave an eternal inheritance.
Spiritual Nugget #1: Effort Alone Cannot Guarantee Your Legacy
Imagine spending your entire life building something, only to realize one day you'll leave every bit of it behind. That's exactly where Solomon found himself. The thought weighed heavily on him. He wondered whether the person who inherited everything he had worked for would be wise or foolish.
If we're honest, many of us think about that too. We work hard because we want to provide for the people we love. We want to leave something behind that matters. But King Solomon reminds us that our greatest legacy isn't found in our bank account, our business, or the things we've accumulated. It's found in the lives we've invested in and the example of faith we've lived every day.
Spiritual Nugget #2: We Are Called to Be Present, Not Perfect
King Solomon also realized there were two ways to live. One was the achievement path, always chasing bigger, better, newer, and more. The other was a purpose-driven path that showcased how faith and relationships shaped his priorities.
Looking back, he admitted he wished he had spent more time with his children, worked a little less, and focused more on what truly mattered. One of the most powerful takeaways from his life is this: it would have been better for his children to have less of his possessions and more of their father. Remember this: The people who matter most to us won't remember every accomplishment or every extra hour we spent working. They'll remember whether we were present.
Spiritual Nugget #3: Model Faith, Not Fear
It's easy to get caught up worrying about tomorrow. Will I have enough? Am I doing enough? What if things don't work out the way I planned?
Jesus speaks directly into those worries in Matthew 6:25-33. He points to the birds. They go out every day looking for food, but they aren't consumed with worry because God provides for them. Then He points to the flowers of the field, reminding us that if God cares so faithfully for His creation, how much more will He care for us?
Jesus tells us to look at the birds. They aren't worried about tomorrow or consumed with what might happen next. God cares for them, and He provides for them. If God pays that much attention to the birds and the flowers, how much more does He care for us? That doesn't mean we stop working or planning. It means we stop carrying burdens God never asked us to carry. There's peace in doing what God has called us to do and trusting Him with everything else.
So, here's the bottom line: You Can Have It All and Still Have Nothing.
There's nothing wrong with working hard or enjoying the blessings God gives us. King Solomon wasn't saying success is bad. He was reminding us that success was never meant to become our identity or rule our hearts more than God.
Sometimes the very thing we’re chasing is also the primary thing we’re trying hardest to control. This week, take a few minutes to reflect to ask yourself where this might be showing up in your life.
Step 1: Name the one thing you're holding onto most tightly.
Step 2: Notice the pattern. Does trying to control it leave you feeling anxious, discouraged, or defeated?
Step 3: Instead of focusing on tomorrow, choose to be fully present with the people God has placed in your life today.
Step 4: Bring that situation to God in prayer and trust Him with what you cannot control.
