Greetings Mike,

The purpose of my email is to seek counsel regarding ambitions. My greatest ambition in life is to be conformed to very image of my Master, Jesus Christ. How do I reconcile that with also wanting to purchase a house or pursuing a career? It seems as though to do so would be seeking to serve two masters. How do I go about daily living without becoming too invested in what daily living involves, i.e. the cares of this life? I work many hours to provide for my family, and I want to invest money in properties so that, eventually, I won’t have to work as many hours, but it seems that such ambitions bring a conviction that I don’t quite understand. It seems that to seek to pursue a career would involve me being consumed by the cares of this life, but then I wonder, “do I even understand the phrase ‘cares of this life’ as it is meant to be understood?” Any help would be greatly appreciated, Mike.

I am your brother,

M____

Hi M____,

Thank you for your very good question. You ask:

How do I reconcile [seeking the kingdom] with also wanting to purchase a house or pursuing a career?

You are exactly where other young men your age are. God has opened the eyes of a few young men, and they, too, have families to feed and clothe, and accomplishing that is a full time job. There really is no way to avoid having to work at least eight hours a day, spend time with your wife, and also make time to spend with your children.

That is ordained of God for this season of your life, and the scriptures make that super clear with these very sobering words:

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

So the fact is that if you are meeting the needs of your family, you are “seeking the kingdom of God first”, and if you are failing to do so you are denying Christ and are worse than an infidel. Christ Himself tells us as “His servants”:

Luk 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

So do not feel guilty for wanting to provide for yourself, your wife and your children. That is the Lord’s will for you at this time. You can still find time to pray and spend time in the word of God with your wife and children, as much as the Lord permits. The Lord works these things after the counsel of His own will.

When He wants you to spend more time in service to His body, you will be the first to know, because He will make that clear to you, and He will give you the desire to do so as He did the apostle Paul, and as He has done for me:

1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

I hope the scriptures I have given you will serve to give you some direction in life and the peace of mind we are all seeking.

Your servant in the Lord’s service,

Mike