“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition…” – Phil 2:3 (NKJV)
Selfish ambition is a great stone of stumbling. It is where our wills are motivated by the ambitions and aspirations of our heart instead of His will.
Selfish ambition is often masked behind the normal deeds of the Christian life. This is the most dangerous because although the acts are of themselves good, the reason behind our acting stems from our own desires instead of the purity of doing what He says.
It is “selfish” because it is not the present will of God for us but our own wills. It is ambitious because it’s routed in a desire for whatever we may gain or lose from it performing whatever action we desire to do.
God desires to develop in us an appetite for the good pleasure of His will – where the sole pleasure in our doings is from knowing it’s His will – but we first must abstain from selfish ambition.
Be watchful of selfish ambition.
Our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified submission to the Father’s will. John 5:19 (NLT) So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
Like the Lord Jesus, our job isn’t to decide what to do, our job is to do what we see the Father doing. This will is communicated in us through His Spirit, and we must remember that as sons we are indebted to live according to His leadings (Romans 8:12-14).
Let us learn to come to God with a clean slate. Let us learn to clear out our hearts and all of our ambitions so that we can receive and fulfill the pure, unadulterated will of God. Only then can we taste of the good pleasure of His will. Lord let Your will be done. Amen.
PRAYER: Dear Father, I repent of everywhere I have made pride and ambition the motivation for doing what I do. Please give me the grace to solely depend on you day by day. Help me to hear from you, be led by your Spirit and do only what you would have me do per time in Jesus name. Let my life be lived for your glory and your glory alone in Jesus name. Amen.