Addiction is not a good thing. Ambition however can be good, or bad. It just depends on how it is directed.

Often times our ambition is purely selfish. We may convince ourself otherwise, but when we step back and get honest we can see the root cause and driver for our ambitious goals.

I have often admitted to being an ambitious person and even though it’s considered better than being a lazy, it can be just as destructive.

It wasn’t until I was sent to the doctor for chest pains did I realize the impact my ambition was having on my body. I later discovered the impact it was having on my soul and family.

I hope no one ever has to come to the edge of losing it all, but at the same time, if it brings someone to a place of full surrender to Jesus Christ, I pray they do.

For me, I will never forget the night standing on my steps and looking into the eyes of my wife. I was coming up and she was looking down. It was just another night of detachment through selfish indulgences for me – and as I made my way up my wife met me with a look I will never forget.

For a man, there is nothing quite like looking into the eyes of their wife and seeing disrespect. It is crushing.

It was on this night, after the doctor diagnosed my poor health and headfirst plunge into having a stroke, coupled with my wife’s heavy heart that drove me to my knees in prayer.

I finally realized how my blind and selfish behavior was costing me more than it was ever going to give me. It was sucking my energy, my life, and my time away from caring for my body, my family, and my soul. The truth hit me square in the face. As the Bible says, what good is it if a man inherits the whole world but loses his soul?

Selfish ambition is indeed a dangerous trap. However, once I surrendered my life to God, He began redirecting my ambition. For clearly, He is ambitious. He desires for all to be saved – that’s pretty driven.

So, He understands ambition and when placed in His hands, it becomes holy ambition. A drive to promote His kingdom, pursue His dreams, and propel His goals. The result is nothing short of miraculous for He then takes care of all the details like family, health, Spirit, mind, and work.

It’s not that all these things become perfect, but they do become properly prioritized and we learn how to become better stewards of them. He begins to turn all things together for good, because they become vessels to share His glory.

Now when I look into my wife’s eyes there is a different message delivered, and I am forever grateful to God for his cleansing and redeeming love. For there is nothing quite as wonderful as seeing the love and respect that comes from my wife’s eyes today.

More on these subjects in Full Disclosure and Highways End