A Man’s Ambition and his relationship with God are two entirely different things.

Readership: All
Theme: Consolidating Masculinity
Length: 500 words
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In its positive expression, Ambition is a restlessness in men that pushes them to strive for more.  It drives them to do better, and to be better.  This is a good quality of Men that is to be respected.  If a man’s natural ambition is linked to his purpose and mission, then he is blessed.

img-1783683222-6a50d896e24f33.63226150.jpgReverend Billy Graham

In its negative expression, Ambition is a self-serving desire for achievement, conquest, or distinction, for material gain, power, honor, fame, wealth, and püssy galore.  In this case, Ambition is the black hand of conceit and vainglorious pride.

The first type of Ambition lends to the building of civilization; the second, its destruction.  The first type lends to redemption and salvation; the second, hell and perdition.

The restlessness of the first type is not equivalent to discontentedness, but rather a desire for continual improvement and the freshness of creative development.  Contentment comes when that creative change has been realized in a well-functioning form.

This is why it is written,

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

I Timothy 6:6 (ESV)

Thus, it is possible to be ambitious for goodness and the things of God. However, if this Ambition is strongly motivated by a desire for ego-satisfaction, self-satisfaction, or to gratify one’s own pleasures, rather than on God’s purposes and His glory, then that is putting the cart before the horse. This will only lead to frustration. If it is tainted with conceit or self-righteousness, which is legalism / puritanism, it is in vain and will be met with failure and shame.

img-1783683224-6a50d8985f2a37.54498305.jpgPastor Joel Osteen

The key is in having an attitude of Humility and of trusting and serving God, combined with the proper management of desire, and the putting away of one’s own fears and self-centered interests. This is the stance many cannot (or will not) take, and it is the point where many fail.

One of the most insidious forms of self-deception is when one cloaks his desire in something holy, believes it is of God, and therefore neglects to do the necessary introspection. When one dresses up his desire in holiness in order to deceive others to believe it is of God, then this is essentially taking God’s name in vain.

Although contentment might be found through accruing the things of this world and thereby becoming self-sufficient, true everlasting contentment is linked with Godliness with Godliness coming first.

Ambition is usually seen as an attractive trait.  Men can usually discern whether a man is upright or else bent around his own interests, however, they’ll seldom think about this. Women, OTOH, are usually rather ignorant about which type of Ambition a man has. Some Wimmin are intentionally ignorant of this, often to her downfall. Both Men and Women would better themselves by being more aware of the nature of this trait in others and in themselves.

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