Here are three ways to defy hustle and bring in the harvest based on Jesus’ words:
1. Focus your labor on serving, not striving: Make no mistake, we were made for work( or labor). However, when we shift our thinking from“ How much can I get done in my own strength and at what cost?” to“ How can I serve all those that impact or benefit from my business in ways that reflect Jesus and draw people to Him?” we choose serving over striving. Shifting our thinking in this way makes our labor more purposeful and meaningful, which lightens our mental and physical load( no longer are we heavy laden). That lightened load is an expression of Jesus’ promised rest. Our productivity is then measured by the value we bring to customers, authors, vendors and our employees. In turn, our work is conducted from a place of peace and even joy, enabling us to protect our energy and avoid burnout.
2. Quality over quantity: When we focus on quality and the value we deliver through our work, we’ re freed from measuring work solely by how much we get done and how fast we can do it. To deliver quality, we need to set boundaries around our time and attention, making mindful decisions on what gets our best‘ yes’ and our clear‘ no’. We are not machines; we are living, breathing humans who, through our work, serve other living, breathing humans. Let’ s focus on the human touch over the number of things we get done, and seek to deliver quality over quantity. This is defying worldly hustle. This is the practice of taking His yoke upon us and learning from Him, which is where we find rest for our souls.
3. Implement systems that save time without sacrificing human touch: While the world debates how AI may replace jobs, let’ s be mindful about implementing systems that enhance the personal service and human touch unique to Christian retailers. Are there systems used by your retailer peers that could benefit your store and your customers? Could you improve the store’ s online experience in ways that feel like personal interaction with you? Have you explored strategic marketing to expand your store’ s recognition and reach more prospective customers( i. e., the broader harvest beyond your backyard)? Opportunities like this are like Jesus’ yoke: easy and light, and they preserve time and focus for the most important work: communicating with and serving customers in real life.
These shifts enable us to bring in the harvest without the world’ s hustle. They enable us to break free from the pattern of overachievement and the pressure to perform and deliver at all costs. These shifts build greater trust with customers, authors, vendors and employees, because working from Jesus’ rest allows us to be more present and peaceful in our labor. Lastly, when we operate from His rest, our minds have the space to consider the opportunities and collaborative efforts that He brings our way. These are often things we’ ve overlooked in the past because we didn’ t have the time or bandwidth to even think about them.
working from Jesus’ rest allows us to be more present and peaceful in our labor
As a business owner, I speak a lot about redefining hustle because it is necessary in differentiating who we are and how we serve in the marketplace. You are not what you produce, and you’ re far more valuable than any outcomes! The real measure of success isn’ t how much you accomplish, but how purposefully you serve and the lasting impact you make on those around you. The greatest outcome of your labor is bringing in the harvest and leading people to Jesus, and that is only possible when we let Jesus lead us in His rest! CRA
Erin Harrigan is a Christian author, speaker and biblical business coach for high-achieving Christian women in business. Through private and group coaching, speaking, podcasting and writing, Erin empowers sisters in Christ to redefine hustle to navigate success with Jesus. Erin ' s books include Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success with Jesus, The Redefining Hustle Journal, and Pursuing Success God’ s Way. Erin serves women all over the world from Maryland, where she enjoys empty nest life with her husband and their Bernedoodle, Rory. You can learn more at www. erinharrigan. com
18 CRA today / www. christianretailassociation. org