--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes in church circles, we talk more…" description: "\"“Sometimes in church circles, we talk more about contentment (which is a good thing) but it can minimize the importance of ambition—that somehow it is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/carolyn-mcculley-69321_ambition_sometimes-in-church-circles-we-talk-more_1301774.jpg" --- # Sometimes in church circles, we talk more about… ![“Sometimes in church circles, we talk more about contentment (which is a good thing) but it can minimize the importance of ambition—that somehow it is more spiritual for Christians to be passive. This misunderstanding had slowed me down to the point where I wasn’t moving ahead at all. I learned…” quote by Carolyn McCulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/carolyn-mcculley-69321_ambition_sometimes-in-church-circles-we-talk-more_1301774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/carolyn-mcculley-69321_ambition_sometimes-in-church-circles-we-talk-more_1301774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/carolyn-mcculley-69321_ambition_sometimes-in-church-circles-we-talk-more_1301774.jpg) > ““Sometimes in church circles, we talk more about contentment (which is a good thing) but it can minimize the importance of ambition—that somehow it is more spiritual for Christians to be passive. This misunderstanding had slowed me down to the point where I wasn’t moving ahead at all. I learned that ambition is really a desire to grow. I realized that in order for me to obey God’s call to be “fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28), I needed to stop shutting down ambition just because I was afraid to be disappointed. The Hebrew word pārâ in that verse means “to bear fruit, to grow, to increase.”2 This is the essence of ambition—it’s the desire to step forward, to take risks, and expand our lives, instead of shrinking back.”” [Carolyn McCulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mcculley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition is a God‑given drive to grow, take risks, and fulfill the call to be fruitful, not passive contentment. **In simple terms:** Ambition means growing and taking risks for God's purpose. Key Takeaway Embrace ambition as a spiritual duty. Themes faith growth ambition spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church leadership - career planning - personal growth - overcoming fear Key Concepts Theology personal development risk taking Questions to Reflect On - How can you pursue ambition without compromising humility? - What risks are worth taking for spiritual growth? A Different Perspective Ambition can lead to disappointment if not balanced with realistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-desire-460599/) [Ambition Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-spiritual-580437/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Desire Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-grow-728284/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Importance Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance-ambition-4276960/) [Moving ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-ahead/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Step forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-forward/) ## Related quotes > [The ambition of the spiritual traveller never wants to stop with what it has been shown save that the voices of reality call to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ata-allah/the-ambition-of-the-spiritual-traveller-never-wants-to-stop-with-what/) [Ibn Ata Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ata-allah/) > [Today is my day and with every thought, every word and every step I will move forward towards my goals. I am forward bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-valadez/today-is-my-day-and-with-every-thought-every-word-and-every-step-i/) [Benjamin Valadez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-valadez/) > [“I have found that because of our Father's desire for us to grow, He may give us gentle, almost imperceptible promptings that, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/i-have-found-that-because-of-our-father-s-desire-for-us-to-grow-he/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [The courage to go deeper is found by letting your desire grow larger than your fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriah-dreamer/the-courage-to-go-deeper-is-found-by-letting-your-desire-grow-larger/) [Oriah Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriah-dreamer/) > [We don't have a desperate need to grow. We have a desperate desire to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/we-don-t-have-a-desperate-need-to-grow-we-have-a-desperate-desire-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Can desire grow out of admiration, or are the two quite distinct species? What would it be like to lie side by side, naked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/can-desire-grow-out-of-admiration-or-are-the-two-quite-distinct/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [“Desire, Desire, Desire! Desire to love, Desire to live, Desire to learn, Desire to dream, Desire to give, Desire to forgive, Desire to grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/desire-desire-desire-desire-to-love-desire-to-live-desire-to-learn/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Any desire to grow is following the flow of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/any-desire-to-grow-is-following-the-flow-of-love/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If u desire to grow in your relationship w God - don't do it alone. Find a community of people heading in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-mineo/if-u-desire-to-grow-in-your-relationship-w-god-don-t-do-it-alone-find/) [Andy Mineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-mineo/) > [“Our desire to grow, to make a place for ourselves… to know we have counted in the lives of others, is healthy and necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitt-weagant/our-desire-to-grow-to-make-a-place-for-ourselves-to-know-we-have/) [Kitt Weagant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitt-weagant/) > [“Without the desire to be patient patience doesn't happen, Just like without the desire to grow, LIFE doesn't happen!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sujit-lalwani/without-the-desire-to-be-patient-patience-doesn-t-happen-just-like/) [Sujit Lalwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sujit-lalwani/) > [“People need to feel seen, heard, and valued to have the desire to grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-reynolds/people-need-to-feel-seen-heard-and-valued-to-have-the-desire-to-grow/) [Marcia Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-reynolds/) > [“I believe at least in one of the chief tenets of the Christian faith--contentment with a lowly place. I am a doctor and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-believe-at-least-in-one-of-the-chief-tenets-of-the-christian-faith/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Ambition and desire are the roots of success...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milana-may/ambition-and-desire-are-the-roots-of-success/) [Milana May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milana-may/) > [Great ambition, the desire of real superiority, of leading and directing, seems to be altogether peculiar to man, and speech is the great instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/great-ambition-the-desire-of-real-superiority-of-leading-and/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## More by Carolyn McCulley > [“A true helpmate is not a blind follower, but rather she is a faithful friend and a wise sister in Christ who understands the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mcculley/a-true-helpmate-is-not-a-blind-follower-but-rather-she-is-a-faithful/) [Carolyn McCulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mcculley/) > [“Transitions are bumpy, even the happy ones. We all go through them at some point. It takes time to adjust. Often, we feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mcculley/transitions-are-bumpy-even-the-happy-ones-we-all-go-through-them-at/) [Carolyn McCulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mcculley/) > [“Men trust God by risking rejection. Women trust God by waiting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mcculley/men-trust-god-by-risking-rejection-women-trust-god-by-waiting/) [Carolyn McCulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mcculley/) [Explore all 4 Carolyn McCulley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mcculley/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes in church circles, we talk more about contentment (which is a good thing) but it can minimize the importance of ambition—that somehow it is more spiritual for Christians to be passive. 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