We’ve all heard that slang term, “Hustle Hard,” haven’t we? Maybe not all of us, so I’ll break it down below.

Hustle (verb): to move hurriedly, busyness with persuasion, movement with excitement, obtain by forceful movement. (Used in a sentence: The man ‘hustled hard’ for his record deal to sell out and become famous).

Sometimes I think I’m a gangsta, but I’ve always been that little ‘wangsta’ LOL. I don’t know if y’all have heard that term, but that takes me back to high school for sure. I’m old and crazy for real! But, you aren’t crazy if you know you’re crazy, right?! On the other hand, if you don’t admit it….nevermind, I’ll stop there 😉 I kid, I[”kid. I know ‘crazy’ can be a very triggering word for some.

Anyway, I came upon this quote today, that truly struck me in regards to hustling hard.

“The hustle brings the dollar. The experience brings the knowledge. The persistence brings the success.” -Ross Simmonds

This quote demonstrates the importance of persisting and persevering. The days seem long. The light seems to fade. The traffic gets worse. Gas prices rise. Children get sick. We get bad news. Our finances seem to never be enough. You name it. We’ve probably experienced it and if we haven’t we will at some point.

                                 ——————BUT GOD!——————-

Quoting myself (HAHA), “Persistence with God is the resistance of the enemy, persistence with the enemy is the resistance of God.

This is where I love to turn the tables and remind myself that there is always a choice to turn around what we are facing. Yes, there are so many trials that we have faced, are facing, and will face just as God says, but He is our shining armor. He is a lamp unto our feet. He is the light to our paths. His love is endless. The faith we put in Him can only take us from glory to glory. This is how we HUSTLE HARD! 

In Psalm 27:1, the bible states, “1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”

 

12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

 

With the battle against depression, anxiety, fear, suicidal thoughts, addiction, schizophrenia, and so many more mental illnesses it is so important to recognize the spiritual battle that we are in. Yes, mental illnesses are derived from biological, spiritual, emotional, and social factors that make up each individual. Mental illness is real. The spiritual battle is real, as well. I always like to say, if you had a physical illness–say, diabetes–why would you deny your body insulin if that is what it needs to operate correctly? The same for mental illnesses. There are medications out there that help with biochemical imbalances that have been passed down from generation to generation. These are what Christians refer to as “generational curses.” The term might sound offensive, but it is so real. There is a deeper root to all of mental illnesses, whether it is rape, incest, a spirit of rejection, a spirit of abandonment, unforgiveness, shame, guilt, etc. All of these things are important to seek God for TRUE healing. GOD can change our DNA. Prayer can change our DNA. At the same time, there are medications, therapists, art therapy and so many more resources that exist in order to help with the journey. We all can be healed, it is just a matter of the choice of committing to being healed. It is up to us to seek professional help and God to renew our minds hourly, daily, monthly, yearly and always. Our brains are very powerful machines that also need to be tuned and retuned throughout life.

I know my battle with mental illnesses has been a tough journey. I have had my days where I never thought I’d make it. In fact, if it weren’t for God, I would be dead. The harm that I have done to my body–it is by no coincidence or lucky penny that I continue to stand. Praise God! Suicidal thoughts, tendencies, actions, self-harm, and all of the above are fo’ real, my friends! But let’s not be ashamed of it. Let’s not allow guilt and shame to own us. We are humans, we sin, we mess up, we fall short, we always will. It is just human nature. But, we have a God that loves us so much that we are forgiven and set free. 

28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Let’s all be thankful for our journey, no matter how hard it might be or how life may try to knock us down. The enemy/SATAN is so real, BUT we lean on God and count it all joy!