Letting Go of Hustle Culture | Women's Grace Devotional Study

 

"Hustle culture, also known as burnout culture, centers around the idea that working long hours and sacrificing self-care are required in order to succeed. The promise is that if you give work all of your attention, you can achieve anything and everything." (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.betterup.com/blog/hustle-culture%3fhs_amp=true)

The "Hustle culture" lifestyle is really just fear-based living. It's all about strive and drive. People are constantly striving to get ahead for fear of missing out or not being good enough and are driven predominantly by the desires of the flesh. 

Grace living is very different. God actually wants believers to slow down in life, when we can, so that we are better able to make time for study and quiet meditation on the word (Luke 10:38-42). This doesn't mean that we never have busy days or times in our lives, but we will be better able to serve the Lord from a place of rest, rather than rush (Hebrews 4:9-10; Matthew 11:28-30; Psalms 37:7). Its important as believers to get our priorities in the right places- God, marriage, home, family and then ministry, career, and/or business. 

The Apostle Paul was not concerned with getting wealthy or having worldly accomplishments. His primary goal was personal bible study, meditation and prayer time with the Lord, evangelism, teaching believers sound grace doctrine, fellowship with believers, and then he made tents for a living. Philippians chapter 4 is such a great chapter to read regarding keeping our focus on what is important. We can really only focus more often on what's important if we let go of the hustle culture lifestyle and live a slower lifestyle. 

Phil 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." 

Are you rejoicing in the LORD or in all of the things you can get and do in this world? This current world is temporary and will never truly satisfy us.

Phil 4:5 "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."

Are you moderate in all things? Or is your life just all about "showing off" and "keeping up with the Joneses"? 

Phil 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

This verse is often used regarding healing from worry and anxiety, however its not just regarding worry and anxiety. Be careful for nothing is a bold statement that we shouldn't be concerned with trying to get ahead in the world. And for a more mature believer, our prayers and supplication should really be about spiritual matters. Like praying about the edification of a fellow believer. 

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We are comforted as we focus on the Lord and the amazing things that He is doing in and through us, as well as the things that He us doing in and through fellow believers too. 

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Really, these things are God's very own qualities and traits- true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous. The Holy Bible is also all of these things!

Today why not try slowing down a bit and really meditate on those verses. 

Write out Philippians 4:8 in your journal.