07.14.10
Worship in Ambition
Are you ambitious? When you examine your life or heart, where do you see yourself tending towards selfish ambition? Are you finding that God is maturing your heart motivations towards Godly ambition?
Godly Ambition is reverent activism that constantly depends on the Holy Spirit to accomplish what he wants to do through us.
Selfish ambition is striving to accomplish anything for our own end, our own glory. It is a cold and empty lie that cheats us out of worship.
Dave Harvey in his new book, Rescuing Ambition calls ambition– the instinctual motivation to aspire to things, to make something happen, to have an impact, to count for something in life.
I’ve always had ambition, a passionate drive to accomplish as much as I can. Hyperactivity and the love of accomplishment have characterized my days. One could call it work ethic – a God created, directed vision for success that guides my dreams and decisions with passion and humility every day?! However, because of my sinful heart I so often in an effort to “check off the boxes” in my days, along the way, I steal God’s glory and feel pride in my work. As God changes me, ambition is changing, work is becoming more worshipful. I am SLOWLY becoming more dependent on Jesus and am more aware of His hand in even the smallest of tasks.
Pursuing ambition can certainly be self-glorifying. I don’t want to merely sprinkle bible verses and prayers on my ambitious striving and call it Godly. Seems to me calling my ideas God’s, is pretty low on the scale of selfish ambition. So how can we, pursue Jesus in life’s ambitions and trust that God will keep us from all evil. (Psalm 121)
1. God created us to be ambitious. (for HIS glory)
2. He wants us to work hard, steward well, and exercise wisdom with dreams, plans, and actions.
3. Ultimately, all that we DO or DREAM is for Jesus to look good, not us.
4. He knows me personally and the Gospel transforms my heart, plans, and dreams every day.
5. The Grace of God is where I get approval, in my justification before God is my peace.
6. Striving towards worship in my actions, prayers, and dependence on Jesus refines my motivations.
Awareness of the temptation to sin with ambition can suffocate a God given desire to act. “True humility doesn’t kill our dreams; it provides a guardrail for them, ensuring that they remain on God’s road and move in the direction of his glory.”
As Christians, we have a deep down appetite for God’s glory. Each of us have different expressions of worshipful response to the awe of God’s glory. When we plan our lives and actions, we must pray for wisdom and ask, “am I worshiping Jesus with this?”
If we love God’s glory, it translates into a lifelong, passionate quest –in other words, godly ambition.
Jesus Christ embodies the glory of God. As we come face to face with the Cross of Jesus, we are compelled in belief and worship. The grace of God wires us for ambition. Ambition that is authored by the in-dwellling Holy Spirit inspires us to “do” for his glory.
The good news with ambition for us, is that we can run with passion to point others to Jesus, by loving Jesus and others through the works he has given us to to.
Ambition can be sinful, but DOES NOT mean we should go apathetic because of our fear of sin. As sure as we are God’s loved kids, he will keep us from evil (Psalm 121) and rescue our hearts. He will create in us passion, conviction, and action to Give HIM Glory.
Are you worshiping Jesus with your ambitions?