--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard." description: "\"I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard.\" — Jay-Z" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png" --- # I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard. ![“I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard.” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png) > “I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard.” [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work can compensate for lack of divine favor, emphasizing personal effort over spiritual reliance. **In simple terms:** Work hard even if you feel distant from God. Key Takeaway Work hard, regardless of faith. Themes effort self‑reliance ambition Mood determined assertive Type motivational realistic When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - sports - artistic pursuits Key Concepts Work ethic secular resilience Questions to Reflect On - What drives your work ethic? - How do you balance faith and effort? A Different Perspective Hard work alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Damn Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-hard-335313/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Damn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-damn-1320938/) [God Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-work/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-god/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I'm far from being god, but I work god damn hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-far-from-being-god-but-i-work-god-damn-hard/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“Good human work honors God's work. Good work uses no thing without respect, both for what it is in itself and for its origin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/good-human-work-honors-god-s-work-good-work-uses-no-thing-without/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Ultimately you are doing what you do for one of two reasons: to serve oneself or to serve God. There is enough time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/ultimately-you-are-doing-what-you-do-for-one-of-two-reasons-to-serve/) [Theodore Wilhelm Engstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/) > [There is enough time in every day to do God's work...in God's way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/there-is-enough-time-in-every-day-to-do-god-s-work-in-god-s-way/) [Theodore Wilhelm Engstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/) > [“You are the work of God, and His work is wholly lovable and wholly loving. This is how a man must think of himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/you-are-the-work-of-god-and-his-work-is-wholly-lovable-and-wholly/) [Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/) > [“Jn 6:281 do Fallen man’s concept concerning God is that he must do something for God and work for God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/living-stream-ministry/jn-6-281-do-fallen-man-s-concept-concerning-god-is-that-he-must-do/) [Living Stream Ministry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/living-stream-ministry/) > [Let us see that we keep God before our eyes; that we walk in His ways and seek to please and glorify Him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/let-us-see-that-we-keep-god-before-our-eyes-that-we-walk-in-his-ways/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [The whole life of a Christian should be nothing but praises and thanks to God; we should neither eat nor sleep, but eat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/the-whole-life-of-a-christian-should-be-nothing-but-praises-and/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [“Worship the work not the God, because work is God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/worship-the-work-not-the-god-because-work-is-god/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Tremendous human energy is needed to walk God's walk, work God's work, fulfill God's will, and complete his dream for our self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/tremendous-human-energy-is-needed-to-walk-god-s-walk-work-god-s-work/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Our work for God is to flow from loving God; thus, we work with Him instead of for Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bickle/our-work-for-god-is-to-flow-from-loving-god-thus-we-work-with-him/) [Mike Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bickle/) > [God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/god-s-work-done-god-s-way-will-never-lack-god-s-supply/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's provision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/god-s-work-done-in-god-s-way-will-never-lack-god-s-provision/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [It is impossible to get exhausted in work for God. We get exhausted because we try to do God's work in our own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-impossible-to-get-exhausted-in-work-for-god-we-get-exhausted/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/time-spent-in-prayer-will-yield-more-than-that-given-to-work-prayer/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) ## More by Jay-Z > [At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/at-42-be-better-than-24-i-carried-the-4-5-mastered-48-laws/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Wherever I go, I bring the culture with me, so that they can understand that it's attainable. I didn't do it any other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/wherever-i-go-i-bring-the-culture-with-me-so-that-they-can-understand/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Everyone who makes music is a good collaborator at their foundation because in order to make music, you have to connect to it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/everyone-who-makes-music-is-a-good-collaborator-at-their-foundation/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [New York - I'm connected. This is my core. I feel like if I'm not connected to New York, then I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/new-york-i-m-connected-this-is-my-core-i-feel-like-if-i-m-not/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I'm a person that works off of music. I let the music dictate the direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-a-person-that-works-off-of-music-i-let-the-music-dictate-the/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Tears on the mauseoleum floor. Blood stains the coliseum doors. Lies on the lips of a priest. Thanksgiving disguised as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/tears-on-the-mauseoleum-floor-blood-stains-the-coliseum-doors-lies-on/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Around 20. I'd been trying to transition from the streets to the music business, but I would make demos and then quit for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/around-20-i-d-been-trying-to-transition-from-the-streets-to-the-music/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work-all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/there-s-the-gift-there-s-the-spirit-and-there-s-the-work-all-three/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [All black everything, Ni\*\*a you know my fresh code. Im out here fightin for you, dont increase my stress load.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-black-everything-ni-a-you-know-my-fresh-code-im-out-here-fightin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I couldn't even think about wanting to be something else; I wouldn't let myself visualize another life. But I wrote because I couldn't stop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-couldn-t-even-think-about-wanting-to-be-something-else-i-wouldn-t/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Lord forgive me I never would've made it without sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/lord-forgive-me-i-never-would-ve-made-it-without-sin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [In trouble waters I had to learn how to float](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/in-trouble-waters-i-had-to-learn-how-to-float/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Their gunnin' for me, want to see me fall, you know my story, been through it all, times I felt like dyin', but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/their-gunnin-for-me-want-to-see-me-fall-you-know-my-story-been/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) [Explore all 397 Jay-Z quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay-Z" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-hard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-hard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bb/jay-z-713_god_i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-har_1830671.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm far from God, but I work god damn hard.” — Jay-Z", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jay-Z", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm far from God, but I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-hard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-far-from-god-but-i-work-god-damn-hard/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```