Throughout history, people have pursued pleasure, possessions, relationships, and success in an attempt to fill the emptiness within. Yet, time and again, they discover that what promises satisfaction often leaves them wanting more. Few people have explored this search for meaning more thoroughly than Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes.

Recently, I have been teaching from the book of Ecclesiastes, one of the most unusual and thought-provoking books in the Bible. Written by Solomon, we follow a man who seemingly had everything life could offer, through some of the darkest periods of his life. Much of what he writes comes from the perspective of someone attempting to understand life apart from God.

Consider what life would look like if there were no God. There would be no one sustaining the universe, no life after death, no heaven, no eternity—only nothingness. It is against this backdrop that we begin to understand Solomon’s despair. When life is viewed apart from God, it ultimately loses its meaning and purpose.

One of the primary ways people attempt to deal with this sense of meaninglessness, according to Solomon, is through the pursuit of pleasure. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-3, he writes:

“I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.’ And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, ‘It is senseless,’ and of pleasure, ‘What does this accomplish?’ I explored with my mind how to refresh my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize foolishness, until I could see what good there is for the sons of mankind to do under heaven for the few years of their lives.”

I believe many people today operate under the assumption that intense pleasure can relieve despair more quickly than almost anything else. If anyone could have tested that theory, it was Solomon. He most likely experienced more pleasure and indulgence than almost anyone who has ever lived.

In 1 Kings 11:3, we are told that Solomon had 700 wives and princesses and 300 concubines. I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging enough to be a good husband and love one wife!

Returning to Ecclesiastes 2:3, Solomon speaks of “taking hold of folly.” Biblical folly is ultimately a life lived without God at the center. It is a way of living that places personal desires and pleasures above the One who gives life its meaning. Sadly, this describes the way many people live today, and it certainly describes Solomon during various seasons of his life.

Solomon eventually concludes that life is futile and meaningless when viewed apart from God. Pleasure may temporarily distract us from that reality, but it cannot resolve the emptiness beneath the surface.

Ray Stedman has written a wonderful commentary on Ecclesiastes. He reminds us that pleasure itself is a gift from God. The issue is not whether we should enjoy life’s pleasures, but whether we enjoy them in a way that honors God and with hearts that are genuinely thankful to Him.

Ecclesiastes 2:25 gives us an important truth: “For who can eat and have true enjoyment without Him?”

C.S. Lewis puts this principle into perspective when he writes:

“When I have learned to love God more than my earthly desires and pleasures, then I will enjoy my earthly desires better than I do now. Insofar as I learn to love my earthly desires and pleasures at the expense of God, I shall be moving towards that state in which I shall not enjoy earthly pleasure. When first things are put first, secondary things (like pleasure) are not suppressed but increased.”

This is a central truth if we are going to experience life’s pleasures to their fullest. God never intended for His gifts to take the place of the Giver. When we make pleasure our ultimate pursuit, it eventually becomes an empty substitute for the very relationship that gives life meaning. But when we put God first, we discover that His gifts can be enjoyed with a deeper sense of gratitude, freedom, and satisfaction.

As I was finishing this blog, I was reminded of another profound warning from C.S. Lewis:

“Pleasure can easily be a substitute for evil if it sets a believer on a path away from God.”

Perhaps this is one of the most important lessons we can take away from Solomon’s journey. The problem is not pleasure; the problem is when pleasure becomes our god. We were never created to find our ultimate satisfaction in the things God has made, but in God Himself. The pleasures of this world can bring temporary happiness, but only a relationship with the Lord can give our lives lasting meaning and purpose. When God occupies His rightful place at the center of our lives, we don’t lose the ability to enjoy life’s pleasures—we finally learn how to enjoy them as He intended. The greatest pleasure in life is not found in having everything we want, but in knowing the One who gives us everything worth having.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.