We live in a society that glorifies ambition. But it is important to recognize that sometimes ambition is not God-given, it can be born of the flesh. Sometimes we use our ambitions for our own selfish pursuit, monetary needs, or even for validation from the rest of the world. I’ve had this type of ambition before – the type of restless ambition that is birthed from the ego to fulfill an immediate desire like monetary greed or materialistic gluttony. This type of ambition hates to wait on God for elevation and blessings. Which is dangerous, because if we aren’t careful, we will find ourselves chasing down opportunities or prying at doors that are not meant for us to open.
At one point in time, I didn’t rely on God for promotion in my career field. Listen I’m the type of person that doesn’t like the process. I absolutely hate “the process.” I didn’t want to go through the tough “journey” or face the challenges to eventually become “successful” in my career. I didn’t want the sleepless nights and I didn’t want to fall on my face before the Lord in my closet every day. I wanted a simple get rich quick type- of- promotion so that I could start changing lives immediately. I relied on my own strength for my promotion while searching for leadership positions in my career and community. As a result, I ended up landing jobs and opportunities that were way beyond my capacity or what I was mentally and spiritually ready to handle. I felt like my external world was moving so fast. My career and all of my leadership and public speaking opportunities were all moving forward, but I was in the same place spiritually and mentally. I found myself trying to accelerate my process and my walk with God in order to equip myself to handle these new positions. But the truth is, growth doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that God has to take you through and only He can equip you with the skills you need to succeed. So yes, girl, you’ve probably already guessed it. I eventually hit rock bottom, and I spent a lot of nights in tears. But after a lot of prayer and petition, God ended up placing me in a less demanding position and alleviated the amount of pressure I was experiencing from all of the doors I pried open. He placed me where I needed to be in this season, and I am happier than ever where I’m at now. No I’m definitely not “gettin’ rich quick” but I’m confident that this sweet season is equipping me for the next, and eventually my promotion will come.
So if you desire to be an “overnight success” like me – Don’t neglect the process. Ask yourself, “is this what God has for me right now?” rather than “will make me more successful?” Also, learn to slow down and submit to God’s timing. Sometimes God’s timing requires us to take baby steps… Those small steps may feel time consuming and painful in the moment but those baby steps are preparing you to take bigger steps as you grow. So, don’t abort the journey, you need a preparation season. God loves you too much to give you a promotion or blessing you aren’t ready to handle.
Xoxo,
Tori