I want my life to matter. In fact, I think everyone I’ve ever met wants the same thing. No one sets out hoping for a mediocre life. Mediocrity happens, for sure, but it’s rarely the desire of the heart.
There’s something in us that wants to do well with the life we’ve been given. We want to grow, accomplish something meaningful, make a difference, and know that our lives counted for something. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. God created us with the capacity to grow, create, lead, build, serve, and pursue excellence. There is something good about wanting to become all God created us to be and to do something significant with what He has placed in our hands.
I know I want that for my life. I want to keep growing, to do meaningful work, to accomplish worthwhile things, and to make a difference.
But my ambition deserves careful attention. Because the desire to do great things can come from very different places in the heart. Ambition can be godly, but it can also become selfish. The difference is often found in what’s driving us.
Paul offers a strong warning about this in his letter to the church in Philippi:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” — Philippians 2:3
Paul doesn’t condemn ambition itself. He warns us about selfish ambition, the kind that is driven by pride, recognition, comparison, or the desire to build a name for ourselves.
That distinction matters, especially because Paul later wrote:
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known…” — Romans 15:20
Paul worked hard. He traveled extensively, planted churches, developed leaders, endured hardship, and gave himself fully to the work God had entrusted to him. He wanted to accomplish something significant with his life.
So the issue wasn’t whether Paul had ambition. He did.
The deeper issue was what his ambition was for.
Paul wasn’t trying to make Paul known. He wanted to make Jesus known. His ambition wasn’t centered on building his own name, advancing his own reputation, or proving his own significance. His life was aimed at something greater than himself.
That’s where ambition becomes a matter of the heart. That’s why I think one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is simply this: What’s motivating me?
Two people can pursue the same goal, work equally hard, and even achieve similar results while being driven by very different motives. One may be trying to faithfully steward an opportunity God has given them. Another may be driven by recognition, position, significance, or the need to prove something. From the outside, things may look the same. But God sees the heart.
So I have to be willing to ask myself some honest questions.
- Why do I really want this?
- What am I hoping this will give me?
- Would I still want this if no one noticed?
- Am I trying to honor God, or prove something about myself?
That can be difficult to sort through because selfish ambition often hides inside otherwise good desires. We can build something worthwhile and still want people to know we built it. We can serve faithfully and still hope our sacrifice is noticed. We can even do meaningful work for God while becoming too concerned with our own reputation, influence, or success.
God’s words to Baruch in Jeremiah 45 have always challenged me. Baruch was Jeremiah’s scribe and faithful ministry companion. He had served alongside the prophet through an incredibly difficult season of national turmoil, opposition, and uncertainty. And along the way, Baruch had become weary and discouraged. It was in that setting that God challenged him not to allow his own hopes and ambitions to become the focus. The Lord said:
“Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” — Jeremiah 45:5
What stands out here are the two words: for yourself.
I don’t believe God is calling us to avoid meaningful work or to stop dreaming about what could be accomplished. I want to see great things happen. I want churches to grow, leaders to flourish, people to come to Christ, ministries to become stronger, and the gospel to advance.
Personally, I want to write things worth reading, preach messages that transform people’s lives, and build things that continue making a difference long after I’m gone. Because, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to do something great with the life God has given us.
But I never want my desire to do great things to shift from doing them for God to doing them for myself. That’s the tension I have to live with. And it’s the question I have to keep bringing before the Lord as I examine my own motivation: Who am I really doing this for?
As Paul says:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…” — Colossians 3:23
Ultimately, godly ambition comes back to living our lives for the glory of God. As Paul put it:
“So we make it our goal to please him…” — 2 Corinthians 5:9
That may be the clearest definition of godly ambition I know.
I want to accomplish meaningful things, grow, lead well, and build things that last. But I want to do it for the right reasons. I want whatever influence God gives me to serve others and advance His purposes, not simply build my own name.
John the Baptist said of Jesus,
“He must become greater; I must become less.” — John 3:30
That’s the kind of ambition I want. An ambition surrendered to Christ. So let’s keep dreaming, growing, working hard, developing our gifts, and pursuing excellence. But do it all for the glory of God!
That’s the ambition worth pursuing.
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the life, dreams, opportunities, and assignments You’ve entrusted to me. Help me to work hard, pursue excellence, and faithfully accomplish all that You’ve called me to do — for your glory. And at the same time, I invite You to search my heart and help me keep my motives pure. Guard me from selfish ambition and the desire to build a name for myself. And, may my greatest ambition always be to please You! I pray this in Jesus name, amen.
