To the girl who studies “too much” before a big exam.

To the guy who lifts “too often” in the weight room to see results.

To the individual who has “too high of standards” and should “let loose and have fun.”

You, my dear friend, have probably been categorized as a “Try Hard.”

I too, have entered this category. At first, I cared. I took it personally. I didn’t want to seem like anything that my peers might look down upon. After all, I should want to impress my friends right? I tried to balance the appearance of not caring with the mental ability to continue my hard work. I attempted to seem like I had one foot out the door, while doing my best all the while. (This is as impossible as it sounds…) But now, my gaze is beyond the opinions of strangers, classmates, or even my friends. I decided to hear the phrase “try hard” without all the “negatives” it was supposed to imply, and rather, accept it for the compliment it really was! And when I did this, I was actually INSPIRED by what an individual meant as an insult!! Inspired to work harder, inspired to push myself further, and even inspired to write this blog post! God works in mysterious ways, am I right??

So by making the decision to look beyond the surface level slander, I realized being a Try Hard was affirmation that I was doing something right and I could not wait to share this news with y’all!!

So here’s what I concluded:

Trying “too hard” is in line with Biblical principles. Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with ALL your heart, as working for the Lord, not for [MEN].” God literally tells you to do your BEST. And doing your best means giving all of yourself (your whole heart) to the task at hand. Now, if I think I am being a “try hard” and decide I should only give a part of my effort, am I fulfilling this command? Or, if I try to appear like I do not care, will I truly be giving my best? Of course not!!  As Christians, our priority should be to follow God’s commands before pleasing our peers. He expects us to give Him our full selves and full effort to everything we do in order to bring glory to HIM. What an awesome task we are given, and yet how often do we toss this opportunity aside to gain the approval of others?

Being a try hard brings REWARD. That’s right, good things come out of hard work!! If the first bold point didn’t get your attention, I bet this one did. Proverbs 14:23 says “All hard work brings a profit.” In other words, hard work pays off!! Does that not make you want to push yourself? For example, as an athlete, when I see results, I am encouraged to keep working towards the next mile marker: a small growth in my vertical, a little increase on the volleyball court; they come with WORK. And not just a little effort here and there, but a consistent, prioritized, full-heart effort!!

Now if you read the rest of Proverbs 14:23, you will see it is quick to include the fact that “mere talk leads only to poverty.” Talk does nothing!! I cannot just say I want my vertical to be higher but I instead must work to make it higher. It takes action; hardwork; a try hard. Therefore being called a try hard also implies improvement. You will gain something that people watching and critiquing you will not. However, the verse does not specify WHERE you will see profit, but just that you WILL see profit. For instance, when I work my hardest at improving my vertical, I might not necessarily see gains in my vertical, but I will see improvement in my discipline as an athlete, which will better me in school and as a person. You have to look at the big picture, not just at the details.

Finally, being a try hard changes your perspective. You recognize that life is hard, and good things do not come easy. You will not see the results you want without effort. Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that “on earth you will have many trials and sorrows” but He has overcome the world!!! We work hard because God gave us the ability to do so, but when the results do not immediately come, we have our Lord and Savior right by our side, encouraging us to finish the race.

What happened to our world in that hard work is now seen as a negative thing? What happened that made people cool in their laziness and annoying in their work ethic? What happened to our world that made “trying hard” an insult and “just winging it” a good thing?

Sin nature is prevalent in EVERYTHING, even a seemingly harmless comment. Our world turns the greatest gifts (like work ethic) into something to be mocked and destroyed. But remember, we work hard as if working for our Heavenly Father, not for ourselves or the approval of others.

You will be mocked for following your Christian standards and your pursuit of excellence. You will be tempted to sway by the simplest of phrases and catty comments. But we take heart because we are looking ahead towards eternal life with our Heavenly Father where we hope to hear Him say “well done my good and faithful servant.”