Selfish Ambition vs. Godly Ambition

What’s ambition?

-It is the desire to do something great and meaningful

-It is the desire to be better than we were before or better than others

-A want of a certain achievement

-The willingness to do what it takes to attain that specific goal

My Personal Ambitions

-I want to pay off my wife and I’s student loans

-I want to eat healthier and do more running races in the future, lose some stomach fat!

-I want to get into a good devotional routine with my wife

Think about your own ambitions! Think of your biggest ambition or goal right now, remember it and we will come back to it later.

Selfish Ambition vs. Godly Ambition

-What is the difference?

-Philippians 2:3-5 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

-Galatians 5:16-17 talks about the battle between selfish and Godly ambitions

-”So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

-Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What does this mean about ambition?

-Ambition is good, it has created a lot of businesses, companies, sports figures, movie stars, businessmen and women, great wives, great husbands, etc. It has made people lose a lot of weight, drop bad habits, start good habits, etc.

-To me, the verses aren’t about ambition being a bad thing, they are about motives and where our heart is at. What is the reasoning behind the ambition? Who are we trying to impress and please? Are our selfish desires getting in the way of what truly matters or could they even be harming others?

What does this look like for my personal goals and ambitions I stated earlier?

-Do I want to get out of debt so that we can afford more luxurious things for ourselves? Or do I want to get out of debt so that we are better able to handle our money responsibly and be more generous?

-Do I want to be healthier to look better to others because I’m always comparing myself or do I want to be healthier so that I can treat my body with respect since the Bible says that our bodies are temples.

-Do I want to get in a good devotional routine with my wife to show off that I’m a good husband or do I want to do it so that we truly grow closer to Christ together and in turn closer to each other?

There are selfish ambitions and Godly ambitions within each single ambition

-Think back to the ambition you thought about at the beginning. Is it a Godly ambition or selfish ambition? If it is selfish, could you turn it into a Godly ambition while still attaining the same goal?

Having ambition is not bad! Please don’t take this wrong!

-Look in your heart and make sure your motives are true and right

-It’s okay to do things for yourself sometimes, it really is! But if every single goal and ambition in our lives is for ourselves, our heart is in the wrong place and we may not be furthering the kingdom of God

The Bible says to work hard!

-Colossians 3:23-24 says, “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.”

-Work hard! Reach your goals! BUT work at it as if working for the Lord, and not human masters!

Image via Mars Williams from Unsplash.com