How do we find meaning beyond the mundane? In this new series, Bruce Miller attempts to answer some of the questions that people most often ask the internet about God 

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“The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had.” These haunting lyrics from Tears for Fears’s 1982 hit ‘Mad world’ capture a sentiment that resonates with many of us during our darkest moments. We hope that there’s a reason for our existence but sometimes, in the quiet hours of the night, we wonder if life truly has any meaning at all. 

Whether triggered by crisis, fatigue or the monotony of daily routine, the question of life’s purpose eventually surfaces for most of us. What’s remarkable is that one of the most honest explorations of this topic comes from an unexpected source: the Bible. 

The book of Ecclesiastes, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, opens with a shocking declaration: “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” This isn’t the warm, comforting message we might expect from scripture. Instead, Solomon sounds remarkably like the contemporary artists who question life’s purpose. 

Consider Tupac’s raw confession in ‘Changes’: “Wake up in the morning and I ask myself, ‘Is life worth living?’” 

Or what about the sentiment in Kansas’ 1977 ‘Dust in the wind’: “All we are is dust in the wind”. 

These more modern voices echo Solomon’s ancient lament about the futility of human existence. The job promotion feels good until the next challenge arises. The special relationship brings joy until the romance fades.  

The ultimate experiment  

What makes Solomon’s perspective unique is that he had unlimited resources to test every possible source of meaning. As the wealthiest, most powerful man of his time, he conducted what might be history’s most comprehensive experiment in finding life’s purpose. 

He tried everything: massive building projects, gardens and parks, accumulating silver and gold, hiring entertainers and indulging in every pleasure imaginable. He “denied himself nothing his eyes desired” and “refused his heart no pleasure”. Yet his conclusion remained unchanged: “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). 

True purpose comes from understanding our place in a larger story 

This wasn’t the complaint of someone who couldn’t afford life’s finer things. It was the testimony of someone who had tried it all and found it wanting

Many of us may feel trapped in what seems like an endless cycle of mundane activities. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. It’s like living in the movie Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray’s character finds himself stuck repeating the same 24 hours endlessly. We imagine that if we just had more money or opportunity, we could perhaps break free and find meaning. 

But Solomon’s experience suggests otherwise. Even with unlimited wealth and power, the fundamental human condition remains unchanged. We’re still mortal beings grappling with the brevity of life and the inevitability of death. 

Beyond the banal 

However, Solomon provides a crucial clue throughout his writings. Nearly 30 times, he uses the phrase “under the sun” when describing life’s meaninglessness. This qualifier is significant. It suggests that while life viewed purely from an earthly perspective may seem purposeless, there might be something more beyond what we can see “under the sun.” 

Solomon hints at a dimension above and beyond our temporal existence. He writes that God “has set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), acknowledging our universal longing for something permanent; something that transcends our brief time on earth. This innate desire for meaning and permanence isn’t accidental. It points to something beyond our immediate circumstances. 

After exhausting earthly pursuits, Solomon eventually reaches a profound conclusion: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). 

Even with unlimited resources and power, the fundamental human condition remains unchanged 

This might seem like a dark ending, but Solomon presents divine judgment as a source of hope, not fear. The promise of ultimate accountability means our actions matter. Justice will prevail. The wrongs that we see in this world won’t have the final word. 

The fear of God that Solomon advocates is not about terror. It’s about reverence, respect and recognition of our place in the cosmic order. It’s about acknowledging that we are not the center of the universe and that our understanding is limited. 

Hope in humility 

Solomon’s journey from despair to hope required humility – an admission that human wisdom and effort alone cannot unlock life’s ultimate purpose. While he doesn’t provide a detailed roadmap to meaning, he points us in the right direction: away from the futile pursuit of earthly satisfaction and toward a relationship with God. 

This doesn’t mean earthly experiences are worthless, but rather that they cannot bear the full weight of providing ultimate meaning. True purpose, Solomon suggests, comes from understanding our place in a larger story, one that extends beyond our brief time “under the sun”. 

The question of life’s purpose may never be fully answered in this lifetime, but Solomon’s ancient wisdom reminds us that the search itself points us toward something greater than ourselves. In recognising our limitations and looking beyond the horizon of our earthly existence, we may discover that meaning has been there all along, waiting to be found - not in what we can grasp, but in what grasps us. 

Want to know more about how to follow Jesus? Find out more here

Bruce Miller’s latest book, The 7 Big Questions: Searching for God, truth, and purpose (Global Outreach Media) is available now