Redirecting Ambition: Aligning with God's Purpose

 

Summary

Ambition is a powerful force within us, a drive instilled by God to make a difference in the world. It is not inherently good or bad; its value depends on how it is directed. Ambition can be seen as a reflection of our spirit, a form of energy that propels us to contribute and create. However, it can also become tainted with ego and vanity, leading us to compare ourselves with others and seek validation through achievement. The challenge lies in recalibrating our ambition to align with a higher purpose.

Ambition should not be confused with pride or arrogance. The opposite of ambition is not humility but rather sloth, passivity, and complacency. True humility involves courage and the willingness to take risks, to aspire and strive for greatness. It is about aiming our lives towards a meaningful goal, not settling for mediocrity or playing it safe. The key is to attach our ambition to a worthy target, one that transcends mere personal gain or societal approval.

The human spirit struggles with the burden of impossible expectations, often leading to burnout and a sense of inadequacy. This is particularly evident in the millennial generation, who feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure to achieve. The root of this exhaustion is not external factors like email or social media, but the internal drive to meet unrealistic standards. To overcome this, we must redirect our ambition towards becoming a friend of God, an aspiration that offers lasting fulfillment.

Cultivating ambition is about embracing it as a gift from God, nurturing it, and aiming it rightly. It is not about quelling ambition or settling for less, but about aspiring for a life that seeks friendship with God. This holy ambition is not fragile or fleeting like the attention of others or the pursuit of dominance. It is a lifelong journey of asking God to purify and sanctify our ambitions, removing ego and self-will, and aligning them with His purpose.

Ultimately, the true joy of life comes from being used for a mighty purpose, recognized by ourselves as significant. By offering our ambition to God and seeking to achieve as an expression of our friendship with Him, we find fulfillment and purpose. This is the journey of a lifetime, a continuous process of redirecting our ambition towards becoming the person God intends us to be.

Key Takeaways:

1. Ambition is a reflection of our spirit, a God-given drive to make a difference. It is not inherently prideful or arrogant, but can become tainted with ego if not directed towards a higher purpose. True humility involves courage and the willingness to take risks, aiming our lives towards meaningful goals. [03:05]

2. The opposite of ambition is not humility, but sloth and complacency. Playing it safe is not virtuous; it is often a cover for a lack of courage. We are called to aspire and strive for greatness, aligning our ambition with a purpose that transcends personal gain. [02:49]

3. The burden of impossible expectations leads to burnout and a sense of inadequacy. This is particularly evident in the millennial generation, who feel overwhelmed by the pressure to achieve. The root of this exhaustion is the internal drive to meet unrealistic standards. [06:15]

4. Cultivating ambition involves embracing it as a gift from God, nurturing it, and aiming it rightly. It is about aspiring for a life that seeks friendship with God, a holy ambition that offers lasting fulfillment. This journey requires asking God to purify and sanctify our ambitions. [10:45]

5. The true joy of life comes from being used for a mighty purpose, recognized by ourselves as significant. By offering our ambition to God and seeking to achieve as an expression of our friendship with Him, we find fulfillment and purpose. This is the journey of a lifetime. [11:15]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - The Drive to Make a Difference
[00:44] - Ambition: Good or Bad?
[01:15] - The Dangers of Ambition
[01:29] - Insights from James K. A. Smith
[02:01] - Ambition in Different Contexts
[02:35] - Misconceptions About Ambition
[03:05] - Humility vs. Sloth
[03:52] - Augustine's Perspective on Ambition
[04:24] - The Burnout Generation
[05:23] - The Root of Burnout
[06:32] - Ambition as Idolatry
[07:05] - Ambition as an Expression of Spirit
[08:00] - Redirecting Ambition
[09:18] - Holy Ambition: Friendship with God
[10:45] - The Journey of Purifying Ambition
[11:15] - Offering Ambition to God

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Ambition and Purpose

Bible Reading:
1. Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) - "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."
2. Colossians 3:23-24 (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."
3. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how is ambition described as a reflection of our spirit and a God-given drive? [00:32]
2. What are the dangers of ambition when it becomes tainted with ego and vanity, as mentioned in the sermon? [01:15]
3. How does the sermon differentiate between ambition and sloth or complacency? [02:49]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the root cause of burnout, particularly in the millennial generation? [06:15]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Philippians 2:3-4 relate to the sermon’s message about directing ambition towards a higher purpose rather than personal gain?
2. In what ways does Colossians 3:23-24 encourage believers to align their ambitions with serving God rather than seeking societal approval?
3. How does the sermon’s perspective on ambition as a lifelong journey of purification and sanctification align with Matthew 6:33? [10:45]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between ambition and true humility? [03:05]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your ambition was driven by ego or the need for validation. How can you redirect that ambition towards a purpose that aligns with God’s will? [06:32]
2. Consider the areas in your life where you might be playing it safe. How can you take a step of faith to aspire for greatness in a way that honors God? [03:35]
3. How do you currently handle the pressure of unrealistic expectations? What practical steps can you take to align your ambitions with God’s purpose for your life? [05:23]
4. Identify a specific ambition you have. How can you offer this ambition to God and seek to achieve it as an expression of your friendship with Him? [11:15]
5. Think about a person or situation that challenges your humility. How can you practice true humility by valuing others above yourself in this context? [03:05]
6. What is one practical way you can cultivate a holy ambition that seeks friendship with God this week? [09:18]
7. Reflect on the statement, "The main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become." How does this perspective change the way you view your ambitions and goals? [10:58]

Devotional

Day 1: Ambition as a Reflection of Our Spirit
Ambition is a powerful force within us, a drive instilled by God to make a difference in the world. It is not inherently good or bad; its value depends on how it is directed. Ambition can be seen as a reflection of our spirit, a form of energy that propels us to contribute and create. However, it can also become tainted with ego and vanity, leading us to compare ourselves with others and seek validation through achievement. The challenge lies in recalibrating our ambition to align with a higher purpose. True humility involves courage and the willingness to take risks, to aspire and strive for greatness. It is about aiming our lives towards a meaningful goal, not settling for mediocrity or playing it safe. The key is to attach our ambition to a worthy target, one that transcends mere personal gain or societal approval. [03:05]

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." (James 3:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find your ambition tainted by ego or vanity? How can you redirect this ambition towards a higher purpose today?


Day 2: The Courage to Aspire for Greatness
The opposite of ambition is not humility, but sloth and complacency. Playing it safe is not virtuous; it is often a cover for a lack of courage. We are called to aspire and strive for greatness, aligning our ambition with a purpose that transcends personal gain. True humility involves courage and the willingness to take risks, to aspire and strive for greatness. It is about aiming our lives towards a meaningful goal, not settling for mediocrity or playing it safe. The key is to attach our ambition to a worthy target, one that transcends mere personal gain or societal approval. [02:49]

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you have been playing it safe? How can you take a courageous step towards greatness in that area today?


Day 3: Overcoming the Burden of Impossible Expectations
The human spirit struggles with the burden of impossible expectations, often leading to burnout and a sense of inadequacy. This is particularly evident in the millennial generation, who feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure to achieve. The root of this exhaustion is not external factors like email or social media, but the internal drive to meet unrealistic standards. To overcome this, we must redirect our ambition towards becoming a friend of God, an aspiration that offers lasting fulfillment. [06:15]

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: What unrealistic expectations are you holding onto that are causing you stress? How can you release these burdens and find rest in God's presence today?


Day 4: Embracing Ambition as a Gift from God
Cultivating ambition involves embracing it as a gift from God, nurturing it, and aiming it rightly. It is about aspiring for a life that seeks friendship with God, a holy ambition that offers lasting fulfillment. This journey requires asking God to purify and sanctify our ambitions, removing ego and self-will, and aligning them with His purpose. By offering our ambition to God and seeking to achieve as an expression of our friendship with Him, we find fulfillment and purpose. [10:45]

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: How can you nurture your ambition as a gift from God today? What steps can you take to align your ambitions with His purpose?


Day 5: Finding Joy in a Mighty Purpose
Ultimately, the true joy of life comes from being used for a mighty purpose, recognized by ourselves as significant. By offering our ambition to God and seeking to achieve as an expression of our friendship with Him, we find fulfillment and purpose. This is the journey of a lifetime, a continuous process of redirecting our ambition towards becoming the person God intends us to be. [11:15]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: What mighty purpose do you feel God is calling you to pursue? How can you take a step towards this purpose today, trusting in His guidance and strength?

Quotes


Ambition is a many splendored much maligned thing, your take depends on what demons you are trying to exercise. If you're surrounded by power hungry egomaniacs bent on making a name for themselves to babelian Endeavors the Tower of Babel ambition looks ugly, monstrous and domineering. [00:01:47]

If you're surrounded by Placid passive go with the flow aw shucks folk who are leaving unused gifts on the table and failing to respond to their calling, then ambition looks like faithfulness. Sometimes ambition is ugly, sometimes the critique of ambition is uglier as when powerful white men worry that others Brown women say are getting uppity. [00:02:10]

The opposite of ambition is not humility, it is sloth passivity timidity and complacency. We sometimes like to comfort ourselves by imagining that the ambitious are prideful and arrogant, and I have noticed that very often when I judge somebody, underneath my judgment is a sense of Envy as I compare myself to them and feel like I come up short. [00:02:49]

We Comfort ourselves by imagining the ambitious of prideful arrogant so that those of us who never risk never Aspire never launch out into the deep get to where the moralizing mantle of humility, but this imagining is often just a thin cover for a lack of Courage even laziness, playing it safe isn't humble. [00:03:19]

It is the Telos that is the aim or the goal or the end of ambition that distinguishes good from bad, separating faithful aspiration from self-serving aggrandizement Augustine never stopped being ambitious, what changed was the target the goal the how of his striving. What do I love when I long for achievement that is the great question when it comes to ambition. [00:03:40]

The human drive for ambition untethered from God becomes a constant quest to win to dominate I compare myself with other people it becomes a form of idolatry, often we think about Idols in the ancient world as these physical objects and that people's belief in them was obviously illusory so that idolatry is primarily a mistaken belief but it's really wrapping my heart up in that which cannot satisfy. [00:06:23]

Ambition I have come to believe is actually an expression of spirit, you might remember Dallas Willard's definition of spirit is it a form of power of energy, it is uh unbodily that is it's not physical it's not like electricity or magnetism, unbodily personal, um it flows out of a person, power or energy. [00:06:57]

It's not a matter of quelling ambition of settling as if we're somehow more virtuous or even possible the alternative to disordered ambition that ultimately disappoints that's what Ann Peterson is writing about underneath all of the other aspects of burnout is this failure to live up to Impossible expectations because I'm wanting a good that mere achieving comparison domination impressing can never give me. [00:08:29]

The alternative is not some holy lethargy or Pious passivity it is recalibrated ambition that aspires for a different end, what is the Arc of a life whose aspiration is to be a friend of God, that's worth our holy ambition all other Ambitions are fragile fraud the attention of others is fickle domination of others is always temporary you can't win forever just ask Rocky. [00:09:01]

Attainment is a goddess who quickly turns a cold shoulder to Aspire to friendship with God however is an ambition for something that you can never lose, so that's the word with ambition, cultivate it love it breathe life into it accept it rejoice in it, but then aim it rightly at becoming a friend of God and doing my life and seeking to achieve not as a way of demonstrating my worth as a human being or God forbid my security over others. [00:09:25]

One word about that is you do it it will be the struggle of a lifetime Pascal writes this vanity is so anchored in the human heart, that a soldier a Cadet a cook uh a kitchen Porter boast and wants to have admirers even philosophers want them and those who write against them want The Prestige of having went well and those who read them want The Prestige of having read them and writing this perhaps I have this desire Pascal writes thank God speaking these words to you I don't have that desire. [00:10:07]

Our Ambitions as long as we live will be mixed stuff, and asking God would you take the ego out of it would you take the self-will out of it would you redeem it would you purify it would you sanctify it that's the Journey of a lifetime, and uh the trick is to redirect our ambition towards that end because the main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become. [00:10:42]

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Transcript
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