The “ideal life” has killed what ought to be the true ambition of every believer in Jesus Christ. In the United States, this looks something like the American Dream. When the drive to achieve becomes the reason for existence in the life of a Christian, the ambition to which Scripture calls us is lost, but not unrecoverable.

In a familiar passage to most Bible-believing Christians, Paul states, “we make it our aim to please him” (2 Cor. 5:9 ESV). "Aim" here carries the idea of ambition. It’s what we strive for. Like everything else in the Scriptures the context of this statement is so important. What has Paul been addressing? In verses previous to this, Paul is speaking to the issue of suffering and affliction. He is stating that if we are in Christ, we are those who, in the midst of the burden of carrying about this body of the flesh, are also those clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We are those that in this life, as we face affliction, walk by faith not by sight. Paul is calling us to live in light of eternity. Not only this, but we also live in light of the coming judgement, where our works will be weighed.

It is in the midst of this that Paul says, “we make it our [ambition] to please him.” This is not a call to poverty, not a call to not pursue a career path or entrepreneurial ideas, not a call to full-time ministry, but rather a call to be full-time Christ follower. In all that we do, is the drive behind what we do pleasing Christ? Dear brothers and sisters, do not compartmentalize your life. God the Father in Christ his Son has provided you with the indwelling Spirit and his Word, giving you all you need for life and godliness in living a life whose ambition is to please him in all of life.

Don’t be burdened by this truth. Feel the freedom that comes with new birth to use all of your gifts, talents, ideas, drive, suffering, afflictions and everything for the glory of God in all you do, recognizing it is all from him and you can trust Him with the outcome. Your hope is not in this life and in the accomplishments you can garner. Your hope is in what God has already done in Christ and the reality of what he promised he will do.