Aligning Ambition with God's Purpose and Providence

Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the theme of ambition through the lens of Psalm 131. We began by reflecting on the recent Olympic Games, where ambition drives athletes to strive for gold. This ambition, however, is not limited to Olympians; it is a universal human experience. We all have dreams and goals, but sometimes our ambitions are not fulfilled, leading to disappointment and frustration. Psalm 131 offers a profound perspective on how to manage these unfulfilled ambitions and direct our greatest ambitions towards the Lord.

David starts with a reality check, acknowledging that some things are beyond our reach because God is God, and we are not. This humility is contrasted with the pride of Satan and Adam, who tried to elevate themselves to God's level. David's admission that he does not occupy himself with things too great and marvelous for him is a lesson in recognizing our limitations and trusting in God's design for our lives.

We then moved to a heart check, where David calms and quiets his soul like a weaned child with its mother. This imagery teaches us to let go of our childish demands and trust in God's providence. Just as a weaned child finds contentment in the presence of its mother, we are called to find our contentment in knowing God. This process involves being weaned from false ideas about significance, satisfaction, and greatness, and embracing the truth that our worth is found in our relationship with Jesus, doing the Father's will, and serving others.

Finally, we are called to hope in the Lord. This hope is not a passive wish but an active, confident expectation that God will fulfill His purposes in our lives. Jesus, who succeeded in everything He set out to do, is our ultimate example and source of hope. As we align our ambitions with His, we can move from sighing over unfulfilled dreams to singing in God's providence and shouting in the joy of His presence.

### Key Takeaways

1. Reality Check: Recognizing Our Limitations
- David's admission that some things are beyond his reach teaches us humility. We must acknowledge that we are not in God's position and cannot determine our own morality or identity apart from His design. This recognition helps us avoid the prideful mistake of trying to elevate ourselves to God's level. [36:17]

2. Heart Check: Calming and Quieting Our Souls
- David's imagery of a weaned child with its mother illustrates the peace that comes from trusting in God's providence. We are called to let go of our childish demands and find contentment in God's care. This involves a shift from striving for personal accomplishments to resting in God's presence. [48:13]

3. Weaning from False Ideas
- We need to be weaned from the false notions that few accomplishments make us insignificant, that enough accomplishments guarantee satisfaction, and that many accomplishments define greatness. True significance comes from our connection to Jesus, satisfaction from doing the Father's will, and greatness from serving others. [59:43]

4. Trusting in God's Providence
- Despite our unfulfilled ambitions and disappointments, we can trust that God is working out His purposes in our lives. This trust allows us to let go of our protests and hold on to the truth that God has a purpose for everything He allows. This perspective transforms our sighs into songs of praise. [54:06]

5. Hope in the Lord
- Our ultimate ambition should be to know God and align our lives with His will. Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled His mission, is our example and source of hope. By placing our highest hopes in Him, we can be confident that we will never be disappointed, as He is always faithful and successful in His purposes. [01:06:13]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[28:18] - Introduction and Olympic Reflections
[29:59] - The Role of Ambition
[32:27] - Prayer and Introduction to Psalm 131
[34:15] - Reality Check: Recognizing Our Limitations
[36:17] - Humility vs. Pride
[38:08] - God's Unchanging Design
[40:07] - Personal Limitations and Disappointments
[42:44] - The Frustration of Limitations
[44:06] - Reflecting on Unfulfilled Ambitions
[46:07] - Moving Forward from Disappointment
[48:13] - Heart Check: Calming and Quieting Our Souls
[51:51] - Letting Go of Childish Demands
[54:06] - Trusting in God's Providence
[57:38] - Weaning from False Ideas
[59:43] - Embracing True Significance, Satisfaction, and Greatness
[01:03:31] - Contentment in Knowing God
[01:05:06] - Hope in the Lord
[01:09:13] - Closing Prayer and Reflection

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Psalm 131

#### Observation Questions
1. What does David mean when he says, "my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high"? ([34:15])
2. How does David describe his soul in Psalm 131:2, and what imagery does he use? ([48:13])
3. What is the significance of David's call to "hope in the Lord" in Psalm 131:3? ([01:05:06])
4. How does the sermon describe the process of being "weaned" from false ideas about significance, satisfaction, and greatness? ([57:38])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to recognize our limitations and not try to elevate ourselves to God's level, as discussed in the sermon? ([36:17])
2. How does the imagery of a weaned child with its mother help us understand the kind of contentment God wants us to have? ([48:13])
3. What does it mean to trust in God's providence, especially when our ambitions are unfulfilled? ([54:06])
4. How does aligning our ambitions with God's will transform our perspective on success and failure? ([01:06:13])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced disappointment due to unfulfilled ambitions. How did you handle it, and how might Psalm 131 guide you to handle it differently? ([40:07])
2. In what areas of your life do you need to acknowledge your limitations and trust in God's design? How can you practically do this in the coming week? ([36:17])
3. What are some "childish demands" you need to let go of to find contentment in God's presence? How can you start this process? ([51:51])
4. Identify one false idea about significance, satisfaction, or greatness that you have believed. How can you replace this with the truth found in your relationship with Jesus? ([59:43])
5. How can you actively hope in the Lord and align your ambitions with His will? What steps can you take this week to make knowing God your highest ambition? ([01:05:06])
6. Think of a recent situation where you felt frustrated by your limitations. How can you reframe this experience to see God's providence at work? ([54:06])
7. How can you encourage others in your small group to find their contentment in God rather than in personal accomplishments? Share a practical way to support each other in this journey. ([48:13])

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Our Limitations
David's admission that some things are beyond his reach teaches us humility. We must acknowledge that we are not in God's position and cannot determine our own morality or identity apart from His design. This recognition helps us avoid the prideful mistake of trying to elevate ourselves to God's level. David's humility is contrasted with the pride of Satan and Adam, who tried to elevate themselves to God's level. By recognizing our limitations, we can trust in God's design for our lives and find peace in His sovereignty. [36:17]

Jeremiah 10:23-24 (ESV): "I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing."

Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you have been trying to control the outcome. How can you surrender this area to God and trust in His design today?

Day 2: Finding Peace in God's Presence
David's imagery of a weaned child with its mother illustrates the peace that comes from trusting in God's providence. We are called to let go of our childish demands and find contentment in God's care. This involves a shift from striving for personal accomplishments to resting in God's presence. Just as a weaned child finds contentment in the presence of its mother, we are called to find our contentment in knowing God. [48:13]

Isaiah 30:15 (ESV): "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling."

Reflection: What are some "childish demands" or personal accomplishments you have been striving for? How can you shift your focus to finding contentment in God's presence today?

Day 3: Weaning from False Notions
We need to be weaned from the false notions that few accomplishments make us insignificant, that enough accomplishments guarantee satisfaction, and that many accomplishments define greatness. True significance comes from our connection to Jesus, satisfaction from doing the Father's will, and greatness from serving others. This process involves being weaned from false ideas about significance, satisfaction, and greatness, and embracing the truth that our worth is found in our relationship with Jesus. [59:43]

1 Corinthians 3:7-8 (ESV): "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent accomplishment or failure. How does your connection to Jesus redefine your understanding of significance, satisfaction, and greatness in this context?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Providence
Despite our unfulfilled ambitions and disappointments, we can trust that God is working out His purposes in our lives. This trust allows us to let go of our protests and hold on to the truth that God has a purpose for everything He allows. This perspective transforms our sighs into songs of praise. By trusting in God's providence, we can move from sighing over unfulfilled dreams to singing in God's providence and shouting in the joy of His presence. [54:06]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

Reflection: Think of a recent disappointment or unfulfilled ambition. How can you trust that God is working out His purposes in this situation and transform your sighs into songs of praise?

Day 5: Hoping in the Lord
Our ultimate ambition should be to know God and align our lives with His will. Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled His mission, is our example and source of hope. By placing our highest hopes in Him, we can be confident that we will never be disappointed, as He is always faithful and successful in His purposes. This hope is not a passive wish but an active, confident expectation that God will fulfill His purposes in our lives. [01:06:13]

Hebrews 6:19-20 (ESV): "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

Reflection: What is your highest ambition in life? How can you align this ambition with God's will and place your hope in Jesus today?

Quotes

1. "Ambition involves two things. Ambitious dreams as in, it's been his ambition to make it to the Olympics and ambitious efforts. He has so much ambition he practices six hours a day. Ambition is the X-factor to make it to the top. How do you say X-factor in Chinese? Yes, but not everybody wins gold or silver or bronze. And disappointment is experienced by non-Olympians as well." [30:48] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Whether we acknowledge it or not, some things are beyond our reach. And this is because God is God, and we are not. And so indeed there are some things beyond everybody's reach. For example, we cannot choose or determine our own morality. But many people in their pride attempt to have a coup and to take God's place." [34:15] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "God has a design for men and women that does not change. You know car designs change all the time. Just look at the Tesla Cybertruck. And you go like, wow, that is really different. It looks like a modified Batmobile. But I know that over time, I will get used to it and I'll say, ah, what a beautiful vehicle. But God has no redesigns. He doesn't tweak His designs for us. His design for gender and marriage stays steady, they cannot be improved upon." [38:08] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Now, for anything to happen, we need ambition. Ambitious dreams plus ambitious efforts brings about success. So as God sees it, a good dose of ambition would be good for each of us. But limitations are real and they can frustrate us. There are limitations of circumstances. You didn't have the money to go to school. You didn't have the time to do this or that. There are limitations of abilities. You were quite good, but not quite good enough." [42:44] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The way to move forward in a healthy way is to look upward in a humble way. The way beyond disappointments is to trust the Lord that in His wisdom, love and power, He accomplished beautiful things despite the way things turned out. And so despite the fact that you didn't win, you didn't get promoted, you didn't get the job, whatever it was, God is doing something beautiful in your life. We call this rock-bed truth, God's providence." [54:06] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We need to be weaned from an oversized appetite for accomplishments. Because sometimes we don't have an accurate understanding of the proper role of ambition and accomplishment. And that happens because we have some wrong ideas. I'd like to share three of them with you. The first one is having few accomplishments makes us insignificant. A second idea which is wrong is that having enough accomplishments guarantees satisfaction. Thirdly, having many accomplishments defines greatness." [57:38] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We find our significance in our personal connection to Jesus. When we are with Jesus, just like Mary was there listening to Jesus, we recognize how important we are through listening to Him. We don't become important by accomplishment. Number two, satisfaction comes by doing the will of our Father. Jesus said, it's food to me to do the Father's will. Meaning to say, He was greatly satisfied when He did what His Father told Him to do." [59:43] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "The most beautiful thing about verse 2b, is not just that we finally have some peace and quiet, the most beautiful thing is the relationship between baby and mother. And the baby can be content without the milk for the moment, and realize that it is content because it is with the mother. This weaning process has been made complete, not when every ambition that you have has been knocked flat. But when your ambition, every single ambition that you have, or the combination of all of your ambition, come second to your ambition, to knowing God." [01:03:31] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Verse 3 is a climax, a resounding sound, not of a baby crying at the top of its voice, but of God's call to action and contentment in him. As it says, O Israel, hope in the Lord. Yes, let's long for the Lord. Let's make him our ambition. We are called to pin our highest hopes on him. Why? Because we will never be disappointed in him. Why will we never be disappointed in him? Because Jesus has never faced anything too great and too marvelous for him. He succeeded in everything he set out to do." [01:05:06] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Yes, above all and from now on. Well, believe me, winning gold has its place. However, above all, Jesus is the gold that we seek. Let knowing Him be our most compelling ambition. want to invite you to pray with me. We're going to do this by actually reading the entire Psalm 131. When I read it out loud, line for line, you read it at the same time with me. So we're going to move from the sigh to the song and then the shout." [01:07:51] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?