Read: Mark 8:36-37
I get asked a lot about the process I went through to write Holy Hustle. I often talk about how I’ve been writing about this topic for more than three years, and how it only took me four months to write the manuscript because of it. I usually give details about timelines about the book writing process and encourage writers to make sure they REALLY love their topic before writing their book, because they’ll be talking about it for about two years longer than they thought they would.
But I don’t usually talk about what Holy Hustle isn’t. I don’t talk about how intentional I was to leave certain things out of the book, to make sure it was never misrepresented. It’s not a “how-to” or a “self-help” book. It’s not written by someone who attended seminary or has a degree as a Bible scholar. There isn’t anything “expert” about this book and I’m sure that it has mistakes in it. Maybe the way I read a passage of Scripture and applied to it my specific circumstances doesn’t make sense to the season of life you’re in, or the work you. And you’ll never find ten easy steps to getting you life in balance, or chapters that tell you how to live your life.
At the end of the day, holy hustle is a personal journey – just you and God. But He has to be in the driver’s seat, and we can’t try to do it on our own. Self-help only gets us so far. Eventually we’ll need to let go of control and trust that God knows how to lead far better than we ever will – and admit that it’s not all about us.
Reflection Questions:
- What connection have you seen in your own life between a need for public recognition and pride?
- Take some time to pray, asking God to reveal your motivation behind your work, or where you’re trying to take control and lead on your own. Is it to honor and glorify God, or is it for public recognition and accolades?
