Can I be honest? ​I was nervous to publish last week’s essay.​ I was afraid of being misunderstood when I said we should pursue greatness because we all come to the table with different definitions and understandings of greatness. For many of us, striving to be great feels selfish because we’re afraid it’s purely self-serving.

I feel the rub with you. As Christians, we don’t want to intentionally or accidentally waste our lives building our own little kingdoms. We’re concerned about our proclivity to spend our lives grasping after vain self-glory.

That longing you have to create, to contribute, and to make something of your life is part of your literal wiring.

Your life isn’t just something you received; it’s something you are charged by God to work and cultivate.

We were created to rule and reign as representatives of God and His Kingdom. Over the next few essays, I want to show you why that matters in your mundane Mondays, in daily rhythms, and in the pursuit of your goals and dreams. I’ll go ahead and spoil the ending. Your call, your purpose, your mission can be summed up in these words: make something new. The specifics of how we each can and should live this out are countless and varied.

What should I do with all my itchy ambition?

The question for today: Is it selfish and self-concerned to want things, to have ambitions, to have goals and dreams? Is it godless to try to shape and direct my life?

I enjoy productivity and personal growth. Something about it just feels right. But, if I’m honest, something about it also feels off.

Growth, improvement, movement towards good and better; these are obviously good things. What’s not obvious is why.