I’m absolutely honored to have been invited to share my heart for holy hustle with the incredible women over at The Influence Network. Here’s a little bit of what I wrote for them, but be sure to go here to read the full post. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Hustle. It feels like a word printed on glitter-covered mugs and planners on Instagram, to be appreciated from afar but avoided by believers. But what if it’s not? As a woman who has always loved to work, but loves Jesus with her whole heart, I’ve spent more than a year asking God to show me the right way to hustle. Working hard isn’t a bad thing but instead comfortably abides next to grace and rest – and that is what God has shown me through holy hustle.
I have always dreamed of my perfect career – climbing the corporate ladder, earning fancy titles, and achieving success. And I did – and then God began redefining hustle, knocked me straight off that ladder, and took me on a journey from striving to serving. From corporate America to non-profits and freelance work, I understand the tempting pull of striving. As I’ve learned about my personality type (an Enneagram Type 3, “responsibility” as my top spot on Strengths Finders), I’ve realized that God has built within me the drive to get things done. But after seasons of burnout, failure, and anxiety, striving has had to be replaced by a new definition of hustle that serves more and strives less.
I remember spending time early last year looking at the women I follow on Instagram. On one side I loved following incredibly creative, courageous, entrepreneurial women who were using their talents to create, sell, and produce beautiful products. I loved them, and I loved what they were doing, but something felt unsettled in my spirit about the bossy messages to do more, make more, work harder. On the other side I found myself drawn to the women I followed in popular faith circles who were constantly sharing messages about rest, caring for our souls, and slowing down. Although I loved that concept as well, I still felt unsettled as I tried to discover a balance of rest that wasn’t laziness, where I could still honor God.
As a believer, how do you balance God’s model for work and rest with the passions and talents He’s given you?
I believe it’s a fine balance to tread too 🙂 & as long as we first receive from Him (seeking His will) before we serve, we will be more likely to serve from a place of rest, trust and His leading, instead of our fleshly desires.
Truthfully, it something still in the works. I love what I get to do as a writer but some other wrinkles need ironing.