When Everything Means Nothing: Solomon Tried It All (So We Don’t Have To)

When Everything Means Nothing: Solomon Tried It All (So We Don’t Have To)

Let me start like this…

If Solomon had Instagram today, his bio would probably read:

“Rich. Wise. Booked. Busy. Blessed… and low-key tired.”

Because here’s the thing nobody tells you:

You can have everything… and still feel like something is missing.

Solomon - the same man who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes - literally ran a life experiment most of us are currently in.

He tried all the things we believe will make us happy.

And his final review?

“Meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is… meaningless.”

Not exactly the glowing testimonial we were hoping for.

So, let’s talk about these “traps” - not in Bible -school language, but real life, 2026, group chats, debit orders bouncing, WhatsApp voice notes kind of life.

And while I speak often to my sisters, today I’m also speaking to my brothers in Christ - you are seen in this too.

1. The Wealth Trap: “If I just had more…”

You know this one.

You check your bank account and say, “Lord… if I could just get to this number, I’ll finally breathe.”

Then you get there…and suddenly the number has moved.

Now it’s:

• School fees + extras
• Groceries + “just one more thing”
• A little upgrade here… a small spoil there

And somehow, peace is still on backorder.

Solomon said it plainly:

“Whoever loves money never has enough…” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

And this applies to all of us - men carrying the pressure to provide, women managing households and expectations - we all feel this pull.

And then comes the hidden part:

• the pressure to maintain what you now have
• the quiet anxiety about losing it
• the people who suddenly appear when you’re doing well

Because the more you have…the more there is to manage, protect, and think about.

Lesson?
Money is helpful. Necessary even.
But it was never designed to carry your peace.

2. The Achievement Trap: “I just need to get there…”

Ah yes. The famous “When I get there…” life.

• When I get the promotion
• When I launch the thing
• When people finally see me

Then I’ll feel… enough.

Until you get there… and quietly realise… it’s not enough.

Let me say this to both my sisters and my brothers:

Some of us are not just working hard - we’re carrying the silent pressure to prove ourselves.

To be seen.
To be validated.
To feel like we matter.

Solomon asks:

“What do people get for all their hard work and anxiety?” (Ecclesiastes 2:22)

Because what often comes with achievement is:

• burnout
• constant mental activity
• the inability to truly switch off

You’re resting… but your mind is still working.

You’ve achieved something… but you’re already thinking about the next thing.

And sometimes the question we avoid is:

“If I stop achieving… who am I?”

Because achievement can validate you temporarily… but it cannot define your worth.

3. The Wisdom Trap: “If I just figure this out…”

This one… has been deeply personal for me.

Lately, I’ve been praying:

“Lord, give me wisdom… in how I approach my life, my work, my family.”

And I thought - who better to learn from than the man who asked God for wisdom?

So, I turned to Ecclesiastes, expecting clarity… answers… direction.

Instead? I found honesty.

And if I’m honest too…

At the same time, I’ve been pursuing further adult education.
Learning, stretching, growing.

And yes - my brain feels expanded.

But I’ve had to pause and ask myself:

What value am I actually adding… beyond trying to keep up?

Because suddenly I’m in spaces where:

• the pace is fast
• the thinking is sharp
• and I’m aware… I’m not 25 anymore

And then there’s social media.

You open your phone “just for a minute” and suddenly:

• someone is hosting a beautiful, lavish event
• someone is travelling somewhere breathtaking
• someone is “living their best life”

And you find yourself asking:

“Am I behind?”
“Am I doing enough?”
“Is this what happiness looks like?”

Solomon’s words land differently here:

“With much wisdom comes much sorrow…” (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

Because the more you see…

• the more you question
• the more you realise how much you don’t know
• the more restless your mind becomes

And somewhere in all of this - I had to stop.

Take a breath.

And ask:

“Lord… am I becoming wiser, or just more overwhelmed?”

Because:

• knowledge is increasing
• but is my peace increasing?

That was the real question.

And here’s what I’m learning:

The shift came when I started realigning with Kingdom priorities.

When I:

• turn off social apps when comparison creeps in
• stop measuring my life against curated highlights
• choose gratitude for what I already have

Something changes.

Not loudly. Not instantly.

But deeply.

I feel more content.

Not because everything around me changed… but because my centre did.

4. The Pleasure Trap: “I just need a break…”

This one… touches all of us a little deeper than we admit.

We say:

• “I just need time away”
• “I just need to clear my head”
• “I just need something to take the edge off”

And yes - rest matters.

But Solomon reminds us:

“I denied myself no pleasure… and it was meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10–11)

Because today, pleasure looks normal.

It looks like:

• unwinding with a glass of wine… that becomes two, then three
• scrolling late into the night to escape your own thoughts
• always needing a plan, noise, or distraction
• filling silence because stillness feels uncomfortable

And for some, it goes deeper:

• partying just to feel something
• chasing the next experience, the next escape
• using pleasure to avoid pain, pressure, or emptiness

And for a moment… it works.

You laugh.
You relax.
You forget.

But then…

You wake up.
The moment fades.
And what you were avoiding… is still there.

That’s the part we don’t always say out loud.

Because pleasure becomes a cycle:
Relief → Escape → Temporary Joy → Emptiness → Repeat

And Solomon is saying:

“I tried all of it… and it still didn’t satisfy my soul.”

Pleasure is not wrong.

But it was never meant to:

• heal you
• ground you
• or carry your inner peace

It refreshes you… but it doesn’t anchor you.

And I’ve had to admit:

Sometimes I wasn’t resting…
I was escaping.

But real peace?

It met me in the stillness I was avoiding.

5. The Relationship Trap: “If I had the right person…”

Let's come closer here.

We don’t always say it out loud, but many have thought it:

“If I just find the right person… everything will come together.”

The one.
The soulmate.
The person who will complete me.

But Solomon had 1,000 women.

And it still wasn’t enough.

Not only that - but it also led him away from God.

So, we have to ask:

If Solomon wasn’t fulfilled with many… what makes us think one person will fix everything?

Because sometimes what we’re really saying is:

• “Someone must fill what I feel is missing”
• “Someone must make me whole”

But that’s a weight no human can carry.

And I’m learning this too:

We are not meant to enter relationships looking to be completed…
we are meant to enter them already grounded in Christ.

Whole.
Secure.
Anchored.

Because if not:

• you will expect your partner to fix you
• you will feel disappointed when they can’t
• and love becomes pressure instead of peace

The question is not:

“Have I found the right person?”

But:

“Am I becoming whole in Christ?”

Because fulfilment?

That still belongs to God.

So, What’s the Point of All This?

After trying everything, Solomon concludes:

“Fear God and keep His commandments…” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Not just for women.
Not just for men.

For all of us.

My Heart in This

If I’m honest…

I’ve chased growth.
I’ve chased understanding.
I’ve chased “getting it right.”

But peace didn’t come from any of those things.

It came when I paused…
realigned…
and cantered myself back on Christ.

Not perfectly.
But intentionally.

To My King’s Daughters… and My Brothers in Christ

We are not chasing empty things anymore.

We are choosing:

• contentment over comparison
• purpose over pressure
• presence with God over performance

Because when God is your centre:

You don’t have to keep up.
You don’t have to prove.
You don’t have to strive endlessly.

You can rest… and still grow.

 Prayer

Father God,

Thank You for Your wisdom that calls us back to what truly matters.

Lord, show us where we have placed our hope in things that cannot sustain us.

Realign our hearts.

Teach us to live from a place of gratitude,
to release comparison,
and to find contentment in You.

Be our centre.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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