Rise and Grind?
Sometimes it's good to "take it easy"
Being a young(ish) man in 2025 means being bombarded by what we might refer to as “hustle culture.” We are told that if we want to be successful, we must take no time off. For a man to be a “man,” he needs a job, a side gig, and a source of passive income.
Social media is full of content motivating men to “hustle” more, “grind” more, maximize productivity, read the right books, be entrepreneurs, invest their money, buy crypto, wake up early, and stay up late.
I have often felt like I am not doing enough, or that I need to do more, or that I am a complete failure for having exactly 1 job and precisely 0 rental properties. And, while productivity and self-help content can be helpful, a lot of the current “hustle culture” is certifiably toxic.
The reason for the toxicity is found in the abandonment of God. Hustle culture assumes that it’s all on our shoulders and that rest is weakness. Modern hustle influencers seem to forget that even God “rested from all His work” and commanded His people to regularly do the same (Gen. 2:3; Exod. 20:9-11).
Personally, the nail in the coffin for the godless, perpetual “rise and grind” mentality is found in Psalm 127:1-2:
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Without God—depending on Him, acknowledging Him, making Him a priority—all the “hustle” in the world is vain and futile in the long run.
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional need to “rise and grind,” but we must also remember that “He gives His beloved sleep.” Sometimes, even in the midst of doing good work, we need to “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).
We have our limits. We are not God.
Yes, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Eccl. 9:10). Yes, “Whatever you do, do heartily as to the Lord” (Col. 3:23). But, don’t forget God’s encouragement: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).