Comments on: The Ambitious Christian… http://bustedhalo.com/features/pure-sex-pure-love-88-the-ambitious-christian an online magazine for spiritual seekers Sat, 26 May 2012 01:27:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt http://bustedhalo.com/features/pure-sex-pure-love-88-the-ambitious-christian/comment-page-1#comment-8617 Matt Sun, 28 Mar 2010 04:21:51 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=7792#comment-8617 I tend to think of "ambition" as meaning the single-minded and zealous pursuit of a project at which one might plausibly, despite best efforts, fail. Once you're married, being a great spouse is not something you can fail at, unless you don't bother to put in the effort. Likewise homeschooling your kids. They're hard work, but if you actually do put in the work, you're going to accomplish the project. Success in the professional world (whether one's profession is law, medicine, commerce...or even running a non-profit group!) is far less certain. Neglecting the work assures failure, but even diligent performance doesn't guarantee success. Is it ambitious to pursue a fuller faith life? That kind of straddles the line. It certainly won't work without God's active cooperation, which means that success isn't entirely in our hands. But if we say "yes", God certainly isn't going to say "no". I tend to think of “ambition” as meaning the single-minded and zealous pursuit of a project at which one might plausibly, despite best efforts, fail.

Once you’re married, being a great spouse is not something you can fail at, unless you don’t bother to put in the effort. Likewise homeschooling your kids. They’re hard work, but if you actually do put in the work, you’re going to accomplish the project.

Success in the professional world (whether one’s profession is law, medicine, commerce…or even running a non-profit group!) is far less certain. Neglecting the work assures failure, but even diligent performance doesn’t guarantee success.

Is it ambitious to pursue a fuller faith life? That kind of straddles the line. It certainly won’t work without God’s active cooperation, which means that success isn’t entirely in our hands. But if we say “yes”, God certainly isn’t going to say “no”.

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