Reaching your potential or your godly potential

[saintiaint]

Should one conflict with the other? Sometimes they match.
Trying to advance my career, is not necessarily selfish. I might need to provide for my family. I need to buy a house.
It's good to grow in confidence. To take on leadership challenges.
The problem may come when any trace of humility vanishes. We take ourselves too seriously. We define ourselves by worldly success. We feel superior to others.

 

[Pearl]

Should one conflict with the other? Sometimes they match.
Trying to advance my career, is not necessarily selfish. I might need to provide for my family. I need to buy a house.
It's good to grow in confidence. To take on leadership challenges.
The problem may come when any trace of humility vanishes. We take ourselves too seriously. We define ourselves by worldly success. We feel superior to others.

I think that our so-called secular life - job, hobbies, relationships etc - should all be subject to the guidance of the Holy Spirit because as Christians we shouldn't need to have a life that is not subject to God in any area. God is our provider and we need to trust him to give us all we need. And he does this through various means. The trouble is sometime though we want things that we don't need and aren't satisfied with the job, house, clothes, car, friends etc. that God provides and try to work thing out for ourselves.

 

[Taken]

Should one conflict with the other? Sometimes they match.
Trying to advance my career, is not necessarily selfish. I might need to provide for my family. I need to buy a house.
It's good to grow in confidence. To take on leadership challenges.
The problem may come when any trace of humility vanishes. We take ourselves too seriously. We define ourselves by worldly success. We feel superior to others.

I would say ... MUCH depends on whose Eyes are LOOKING and forming a thought, and letting that thought LOOSE from their LIPS

Confidence... can be construed as Arrogance.
Right... can be construed as Arrogance.
Revealing Work...can be construed as Prideful
Want... can be construed as Needful
Success... can be construed as handed without effort.

People are funny. They want to know everyone else's business. And WHEN they get a "little" blip..."they" become an instant "authority" on summing up the "WHOLE" an others Life in a one liner.

Inanutshell IMO one who is Doing Right is the one with the Success, (in Gods eyes, in their eyes) be the "doing" great or small.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Pathfinder7]

Should one conflict with the other? Sometimes they match.
Trying to advance my career, is not necessarily selfish. I might need to provide for my family. I need to buy a house.
It's good to grow in confidence. To take on leadership challenges.
The problem may come when any trace of humility vanishes. We take ourselves too seriously. We define ourselves by worldly success. We feel superior to others.

You said,
"We define ourselves by worldly success."
Nowadays..many people are more concerned/lured into
'getting more assets/money ( greed ), status, etc..'
---
Once we have enough... we want more.
- Need to be careful/discerning..about 'assets & status.'

 

[Irwin Fletcher]

An interesting aside to this topic, this is greatly impacted by whether or not you live in a society that values so-called Christian ethics. What I mean is, there are cultures that have a foundation that is based on rewarding things like character, hard work, honesty and self discipline. In those cultures, as we attempt to live our lives as a Christian "worker" who is demonstrating through our work our faith in Christ, we are much more likely to see some material success as we conduct ourselves in that way. On the other hand, there are cultures that are not based on that type of Christian foundation where you will definitely be seen as a sucker and taken advantage of if you aren't very careful. I know Christian friends of mine in a Muslim context have expressed a great deal of frustration with their experience. If it is known that they are Christian, it can even be seen as honorable to cheat them or treat them poorly. It's possible our society has begun shifting in this way and seeking to do your job in a way that honors Christ, may soon be punished, rather than rewarded. (Just try to be a Christian doctor in Canada who refuses to perform abortions).