Grace Not Grit: Why Hard Work Isn’t Enough
The pyramids weren’t built by accident. Neither was your soul.
We live in a culture obsessed with hustle, performance, and achievement. We pride ourselves on packed schedules and impressive resumes. But for all our striving, we’re exhausted—and not just physically. We’re weary in our souls.
Ecclesiastes 10:15 captures it well: “The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.”
If someone is toiling it means they are working extremely hard. In our case, the hard work of a foolish person leaves them weary. Worn out. Exhausted at a soul level. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that because you’re exhausted, you’re a fool. What I am pointing out, however, is that there is a kind of soulful exhaustion that comes upon us because the simple things, the easy things, THE ESSENTIAL THINGS—have evaded us. You can work hard and still miss what matters. You can be successful and still be spiritually lost. In other words, all your hard work will lead to nothing but exhaustion if you don’t know the way to town. You’ll simply remain lost.
That’s why the gospel doesn’t begin with grit—it begins with grace.
Grace is God’s undeserved kindness, favor, and forgiveness.
Not earned.
Not worked for.
Just given—because He’s that good.
“For it is by grace you have been saved… not by works.” — Ephesians 2:8-9
“Not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” — Titus 3:4-5
When Martin Luther ignited the Protestant Reformation, it wasn’t over a minor detail. It was over this truth: you can’t earn your way to God. And trying to do so will leave you either burned out… or broken inside.
Imagine a child that messes up. We’ve all been there! But rather than drawing close in relationship to mom and dad, they attempt to earn their way back into right standing by doing chores, not realizing there is a forever invitation to join mom and dad at the kitchen table. To experience real forgiveness. Joy. Laughter. To receive help. Restoration. Hope. Real relationship. This is the invitation of grace we receive from God.
Grace isn’t the end of the story. It’s the start.
It’s the way to town.