His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the meaning of ambition, explaining that man by nature reaches forward because God created him in His unlimited image. Therefore, ambition in its essence is a natural and holy quality if a person walks in it spiritually, but if it turns toward the self, pleasure, or vain glory, it becomes a worldly and wrong ambition.

Spiritual ambition

• Spiritual ambition is the longing for perfection according to Christ’s command: “Be perfect as your Father is perfect.”

• It is the desire for constant growth in virtue, service, prayer, and love without stopping or being satisfied.

• Saint Paul is an example of spiritual ambition, as he never stopped despite miracles and heavenly revelations, and said: “I forget what is behind and reach forward to what is ahead.”

• Spiritual ambition does not compare with others nor compete with them, but rejoices in their success and desires that all may become better.

Worldly ambition

• Worldly ambition is centered on the self, wealth, pleasure, and false greatness.

• Examples include the foolish rich man, Solomon in his time of deviation, the builders of the Tower of Babel, and the fall of Satan through his desire to be like God.

• This ambition leads to pride, jealousy, competition, and the love of appearance, and pushes a person to remove others just to remain the first and the only.

The danger of unsound ambition

• Ambition may turn into greed, desire for expansion, lack of contentment, and inner exhaustion that separates a person from God.

• It may also push a person to impose spiritual practices beyond his strength and fall into pride, or lose balance between spiritual life and responsibilities.

Signs of sound spiritual ambition

• Continuous humility, because facing the divine example reveals human weakness.

• Constant growth without stopping: in prayer, repentance, love, service, and giving.

• Seeking relative perfection even if absolute perfection belongs only to God.

• Not competing with others or pushing them aside, but giving them space with love.

Balance between ambition and contentment

• Contentment applies to material things, while ambition belongs to spiritual matters.

• The important thing is not to allow one ambition to destroy another, and to preserve one’s relationship with God amid all responsibilities.

Spiritual conclusion

Ambition is a gift from God, but it becomes a virtue only when used to seek spiritual perfection, wider love, and growth of the heart in God. Ambition that focuses on the self or vain glory is a deviation that leads to downfall. Spiritual ambition is a steady, humble, grace-filled striving that moves step by step toward the holy goal.

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