COLLEGE PARK, MD –
Our desires are not the measure of our ambition.
Ambition is measured by how content we aim to be.
Most people will steer us wrong on this subject. Many think lack of contentment is the fuel needed to keep the fire of our desire burning. That is actually true, but that should be a point of caution rather than encouragement.
Don’t fan the flames
One of the greatest challenges for humans is to resist and silence their temptations.
Forgoing this challenge and succumbing to our every whim and desire leads to forgetfulness of God – the very root of misery in both worlds. Having determination and working hard towards silencing our lower selves and the whisperings of accursed satan is the “something” we should all be striving for – this is true ambition.
So for the ones who say lack of contentment is the fuel needed to keep the fire of our desire burning, I say they have spoken the truth.
To speak this truth to encourage people to turn away from the struggle towards contentment, however, is one of the greatest falsehoods one can speak.
If we see our desires as our adversaries on our path to God, happiness, and/or any goodness in general, then we will never look to fan the flames of our adversaries.
However, if we view the world through the lens of one-eyed materialism, we’ll backwardly think that our desires are our friends since, often, they can serve as aids toward material “success”.
These are the ones who spread the lie that ambition is lack of contentment. I challenge someone to find me one person among those claimants that is fulfilled or happy.
By rightfully viewing our desires as our adversaries, we can place our ambition in the right place and set our efforts on contentment. When we are working towards contentment we begin acting as the mercies to the worlds that we should be.
Justice towards fellow men and women, the environment, plants, animals, you name it – they are all fruits of the contentment we strive for. The societal ills we see before us are a direct result of a lack of true ambition.
Have real ambition.
Strive to extinguish the fire before we’re faced with one that can never be put out.
With determination,
Tarif