Are you tired? Worn out? Weary?
Why?
I am not asking what you are doing that makes you tired. There are many different causes. It might be a lack of sleep. It might be you are overloading yourself with work. It might be that you feel as if you are under constant pressure.
But that is not what I am asking. I am not asking “what?”- I am asking “why?” Why are you subjecting yourself to the weariness? Why do you allow yourself to get worn out? Why are you putting yourself through the paces?
You may think you don’t have a choice. But you have more choice than you think. If you are always running tired, you may need to check your ambition.
What is your ambition?
Is it a constant push for more. Ask yourself for what are you striving? What kingdom are you building? Is it a lasting kingdom? Is it a sustainable kingdom? Some of us are striving for the bigger house and the nicer car. A six-figure salary! Maybe our ambition is simply to keep up with the Joneses. But would it be better to have less with peace of mind? What would you rather have? More stuff? More peace of mind? It is a choice for us to make and consider.
Some of us are striving for recognition. We want the corner office. We want the admiration of our peers and others. But again, what is the purpose? What happens when we get the corner office?
Some of us are striving to please God. We think we have to live a good enough life to make him happy. But when it comes to our relationship with God, he is already happy with us. All we do for him is out of appreciation for the rest and grace he supplies.
For some of us, our ambition is our self-worth. We feel like we need to be doing something to be valued. Some of us are busy, busy, and busy because we are trying to live up to the self-imposed expectations.
Some of us are striving for retirement. Do you catch the irony in that? We are wearing ourselves out to rest.
Whatever your ambition, take a few moments to contemplate the following verse:
But godliness with contentment is great gain… (1 Timothy 6:6, ESV)
Reflection
- What worldly ambition do you struggle with that causes you neglect rest?
- How do you check your ambition so that you strive for God’s will?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the rest you give. But my ambition gets in the way. I strive to build my kingdom. I pursue endeavors that lack lasting value. Give me a vision to see further and to pursue that which is most valuable in this life and the life to come. Amen.
Leave a Reply