Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. ~~ Mark Antony
Ah my beloved Fridays. I so look forward to them. Like most who work the typical work week, Friday’s mark the end of our dutiful work commitment and the start of an approx. 55 hour fiesta. Ideally this time is set for us to tune out the 9to5 and place all the meetings & agendas on the shelf and really enjoy much needed R&R. But do we actually do that? Those of us who have ambitious goals don’t really rest now, do we? Nope, most of that time is more than likely spent on thinking about or planning the next work week because there is no rest for the weary. No matter how tired or beat down our jobs make us we truly must never give up thinking about our ambitions. What is ambition anyway? Ah I am glad you asked.
am-bi-tion (m-bshn) noun (1) a-An eager or strong desire to achieve something, such as such as fame or power. b-The object or goal desired. (2) Desire for exertion or activity; energy.
[Middle English ambicioun, excessive desire for honor, or wealth]
We use words all the time and never really get to the root of what they really mean. They sound good and everyone else says it so therefore it must be good or not that bad. In the root sense of the word, ambition is excessive, overkill, and just plain too much. Ambition is generally fueled by money, power, control, or selfish gain. Hence the reason the Word of God warns us of it. One of the first acts of man’s ambition is seen in Genesis 11:4:
4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
New King James Version (NKJV)
Raw ambition motivates us to do what is right in our own eyes, with no consideration as to what the Lord has for us. Eventually this mindset will lead us on the ever so crowded street called the Broadway, which will place us out of the will of God & if there too long our fellowship with Him will be broken. So how do we counteract this ambition that seems to be innately a part of our character? We should first recognize that the self-life is part of the sinful nature of man and it will always promote any & everything that goes against the Word of God and His will. As long as we are living in this world, in our corporal bodies we will always have to battle the urges of the flesh that the world promotes — The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) and not accepting this truth only reinforces the original lie – “And you shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:15). One of the main ways to counteract this persistent battle is to know God’s Word. In it we will find a way to maintain our focus. I stated earlier that ambition is generally fueled by money, power, control, or selfish gain and the correct mindset is knowing that we cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24) He instructs us to seek first the Kingdom of God and then all these things will be added unto you…. What things??? Well let’s see …
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Simple right? Should be…. 🙂 but we all know that it is easier said than done. So can we turn our ambitions into God’s perfect plan…Is that even possible?
Until Next Time… Bask in His Presence and Be Blessed!
VMarie
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