1 Corinthians 12:27-31a English Standard Version
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
My experience in the past holds memories of individuals who held a dishonest desire for what they considered the higher gifts. We can call a desire dishonest if it is born of the flesh and not the Spirit. We have lived in a world that rewards self-achievement with worldly praise, good job.
Promotions come to those who have achieved some level of success in their chosen field. That is the world and we now live in the Kingdom of God that does not reward obedience of faith with promotions. The way we can believe that by faith is identified in 1 Corinthians 12:31b which was not quoted above. “And I will show you a still more excellent way” is the preamble to the love chapter 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Corinthians 13:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.
A dishonest desire does not demonstrate the very first descriptors of agape love. It is impatient, arrogant, envious and boasts of what it has done to deserve what they consider is a promotion.
1 Corinthians 7:35 English Standard Version (ESV) I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
Note closely that Paul addressed undivided devotion to the Lord before speaking to the issues of the appointed ministries. God made those appointments based on His perfect knowledge and the enforcement of His will that was determined before the world began. Nothing we do or say will change the will of God in those appointments.
Honest desires originate from our personal relationship with our Lord.