I was working with five clients. I wasn’t an aspiring entrepreneur. I was troubled by monetary discontentment and found security in excess. With additional funds from multiple clients, I aggressively attacked my debts. I eagerly anticipated the day when I could focus on adding to my savings. I gained an interest in investing. I wanted more money, and I wanted it fast. 

It’s been years, but some days, my body still feels the tension that rushed through it when I acknowledged what my hustle was doing to my health. I knew something had to change. Physically, I was exhausted. I felt like I was working around the clock. Emotionally, I was discouraged. I knew my clients weren’t getting my best, and I wasn’t happy with the quality of my work. Mentally, I was depleted. My brain was foggy, and I refused to accept the fact that I was burnt out. 

I wasn’t honoring God in my work; my hustle had not been rooted in a healthy place. There was little to no margin. Selfish ambition fueled my desire to hold on to more than I knew I could handle. But I wasn’t able to hold on very long. 

One by one, I released my responsibilities with four of my five clients. I slowed down and sought the heart of God. In spending more time with Him and less time working, I made commitments to ensure that I would honor God in my hustle. 

1. I committed to prioritizing my spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health above work.   
2. I committed to give back to God consistently and acknowledge Him as my source. 
3. I committed to leaving margin to spend time with family and friends. 
4. I committed to saying no to opportunities when they got in the way of the three commitments listed above. 
5. I committed to identify and deal with the reason I was willing to work in such an unhealthy way (different blog for another day). 

Since the shift, I’ve eliminated my debt and increased my savings. I’m interested in investing and still desire to make more money. But I fight against putting myself in unhealthy situations in order to get it fast. I missed so much in the hustle. I missed opportunities to sit with a friend over a nice meal and encourage her. I missed opportunities to wrap up in a cozy blanket and take a nap with clarity of mind. I missed out on sitting on my couch with a cinnamon candle lit while I journaled prayers to God. 

The truth is, I don’t know what all I missed as I hustled, but I know the money wasn’t worth it. I understand the desire to hustle hard. I understand wanting more resources and wanting to maximize every opportunity. We all have a ladder we wish to climb. We all have to keep careful watch over our desires, lest they lead us to an unhealthy place. 

Colossians 3:17 says, “Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father. (GNT)

I pray that we’d be willing to commit to honoring God in the way we work, in Everything we do, even if that means we have to say no to hustling. It’s okay to leave room in our lives. God can work miracles in the margin, and we can experience rest. 

Prayer: God, so many of us find ourselves overwhelmed and exhausted. We have more responsibilities than we have time. We’ve gotten caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, and we don’t know if it’s possible to live any other way. We need wisdom. Help us remember the beauty of our days before the hustle. Please give us the strength to make the right decisions about our work and time, even when the right decision is hard. We will honor you in our hustle, even if that means putting our hustle down at Your feet.