I completed my masters degree five months ago. The moment I submitted my final assignment, I collapsed in a ball and cried, releasing the burden of such a heafty accomplishment. Since then, whenever people ask "what's next?" Or "what will you do with your degree?", My response has mostly been, "rest." I knew I needed time to decompress and release the weights of the last season. I needed to rest my hustle and give myself time and space to settle into my new graduate-level wine skin.
In this time of rest, I've removed distractions and things from my life that weren't aligned with my calling or my peace. I removed good things and not-so-good things that consumed my time, energy, and talents.
In our hustle culture we quickly say "yes" to opportunities to serve or use our gifts, without pausing to ask if that's what's best or what God is calling us to. It can be easy to assume that an opportunity is from God, but we forget that just because people ask you for help, doesn't mean God is calling you to help them.
We are responsible to guard and steward our time, treasures, and peace; if something is weighing you down, you may need to rest your hustle.
Resting your hustle doesn't mean doing nothing. It means being intentional with what you choose to focus your time and talents on.
Resting your hustle doesn't mean saying 'no' to everything. It means saving your 'yes' for the projects and opportunities that truly align with your assignments from God.
Resting your hustle doesn't signify a lack of faith, on the contrary, it can be an act of faith to rest when others are all about the hustle.
Resting your hustle doesn't mean you're not doing enough or having an impact. It means that you are offering more value and intention with the things of your choosing.
When you rest the hustle, you begin to approach life proactively and intentionally rather than being reactive or passive. You move from a bystander or someone that life happens to, to someone who makes life happen. Our culture thinks busy and hustle make you productive, significant, and successful. When you choose to rest from the hustle, you become the architect of your life, actively shaping and creating the life you desire.
I encourage you to embrace the power of rest and challenge the cultural norms that glorify busyness and hustle. Give yourself permission to release any burdens and celebrate your achievements. These moments of rest create space to recharge, realign, and prepare for the season to come.
What hustles do you need to put to rest today so that you can become more aligned with the assignments God is calling you to?
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" -John 14:3-4
