Ecclesiastes 2:24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
After spending the first half of the chapter describing the meaningless of investing one's life in the pursuit of every possible way to find fulfillment, Solomon had also thrown himself into every kind of work possible, and still come up empty handed. In his quest, we find this nugget of truth almost buried: the joy of the simple life: God made us to work and find pleasure in the conclusion of every day, every completed task, every little gift God provides, if we also are doing it to please Him. It is shared enjoyment. Solomon's struggle with meaning came with his focus on everything he did, constantly leaving God out of the picture. This wise man did the most foolish thing: making it all about himself instead of the God who gave him wisdom.
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