Set Your Ambitions
Ambition is a double-edged sword. Earning an opportunity – a promotion or a chance to lead a key project, for instance – is exciting and rewarding.
It feels good to be recognized for our talents and hard work. If we’re not careful, however, our pride can morph into a sense of entitlement and dissatisfaction.
No matter what we achieve, it’s not enough. Instead of living fully in the position we’ve been given, we look to the next “there.” We become hooked on success.
Ambition is not a bad thing. God calls you to “work … with all your heart” (Colossians 3:23 NIV). In other words, do your best.
But when our ambition is born out of our reliance on ourselves and becomes too focused on the typical rewards of success – power, recognition and money – we can lose sight of why God has called us to be leaders in the first place.
The lives of Saul, Jonathan, and David were intertwined in ways that often illustrated the power of godly ambition and the perils of selfish ambition.
Saul, Israel’s first king, experienced achievement addiction. He began to rely on his own abilities and his heart turned away from God.
Jonathan, Saul’s son and heir, and David, who was called by God to replace Saul, both put God’s will above any self-serving ambitions.
David, of course, also fell victim to his selfish ambition, which cost him dearly.
When we keep our eyes firmly fixed on God as the provider of our talent and ability, we can pursue appropriate ambition and experience success without losing ourselves.
It’s OK to dream about the opportunity to lead at the next level and to eagerly desire new challenges.
Just remember who has prepared you to do great things and that your success as you rise to the next level is dependent on Him, not you.
“Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.”
1 Timothy 3:1 NIV
““You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.””
1 Samuel 13:13-14 NIV
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: 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 NIV
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
