27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people.
28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
(Alma 49:27-28)
Who would you rather spend time with: the guy who loses his temper every time things don’t go his way, or the people who have cultivated the attribute of gratitude and the habits of mind that go with it?
Is it wrong to be ambitious? No. We ought to have goals, and we ought to be working toward achieving them. There is a kind of ambition born of faith which is content with current blessings and optimistic about future ones.
But there is a different and ugly ambition which cannot appreciate current blessings, even when they are the result of prior goals. This second ambition leads to anger, pride, frustration, and depression. It is never satisfied and never at peace.
Today, I will be grateful for all of the blessings I have received from the Lord. As I work toward new goals, I will remember how the Lord has helped me to achieve my former goals. When I encounter obstacles, I will move forward in faith and gratitude and will make an effort not to be overcome by frustration or fear.
Is it wrong to be ambitious? No. We ought to have goals, and we ought to be working toward achieving them. There is a kind of ambition born of faith which is content with current blessings and optimistic about future ones.
But there is a different and ugly ambition which cannot appreciate current blessings, even when they are the result of prior goals. This second ambition leads to anger, pride, frustration, and depression. It is never satisfied and never at peace.
Today, I will be grateful for all of the blessings I have received from the Lord. As I work toward new goals, I will remember how the Lord has helped me to achieve my former goals. When I encounter obstacles, I will move forward in faith and gratitude and will make an effort not to be overcome by frustration or fear.
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