Men are collapsing.

Not because life is too hard—but because we’ve forgotten how to carry the weight we were designed to bear.
We’ve become passive, weakened, spiritually empty, and emotionally numb.
We’ve traded purpose for pleasure, growth for comfort, and truth for whatever feels easiest in the moment.

And for many men—including myself—that collapse doesn’t happen loudly.
It happens quietly.
Silently.
In the dark corners of life where no one sees the internal war.

I know this because I’ve lived it.

The Slow Collapse of a Man Happens When No One Is Watching

Every man reaches a point where he looks in the mirror and realizes:

“This isn’t who I was created to be.”

Years ago, I was living in ways that weren’t aligned with masculinity, purpose, or God.
I wasn’t grounded in my values.
I wasn’t leading myself.
I wasn’t living with conviction, discipline, or vision.
I was drifting… letting life happen to me instead of choosing the man I wanted to become.

I carried pain.
I carried shame.
I carried frustration and emptiness.
I felt the weight of untapped potential pressing on my chest every single day.

And if I’m being completely honest—I was living a life a man should not be living.

Not destructive.
Not reckless.
But misaligned.
Spiritually empty.
Disconnected from God.
Disconnected from the warrior inside me.

That realization broke me open.

My Breaking Point: When God Pulled On Me

There came a moment where I couldn’t numb it anymore.
No distractions.
No excuses.
No more pretending the surface-level version of myself was enough.

I felt a deep pull—a spiritual tightening on my heart.
And I knew exactly what it was:

God was trying to get my attention.

Calling me out of:

• Comfort
• Complacency
• Passivity
• Weak habits
• Weak thinking
• Weak leadership
• Weak identity

He wasn’t punishing me.
He was redirecting me.

He was showing me that the man I had become wasn’t the man I was meant to stay.

I had to confront myself.
Strip away the ego.
Let the old identity die.
And rebuild the man God intended.

It wasn’t graceful.
It wasn’t perfect.
I made mistakes.
I felt unmanly at times.
I questioned everything.
I lost people.
I outgrew environments.
I changed my life so drastically that it shook every relationship and routine around me.

Massive change always comes with massive disruption.

But that’s what growth looks like.

The Rise: Reclaiming Masculinity Through Pain, Discipline & Faith

During that season of breaking and rebuilding, I made radical changes:

I became physically disciplined.
I lost over 80 pounds.
I shifted my priorities.
I built structure.
I surrounded myself with people who were growing, not partying.
I strengthened my relationship with my family.
I discovered what peace actually feels like.
I matured spiritually, mentally, emotionally.

And most importantly…

I found myself again.

Not the weakened version.
Not the drifting version.
Not the passive version.

But the man.

The protector.
The leader.
The builder.
The grounded, convicted, spiritually-rooted man God designed me to be.

It wasn’t easy.
It wasn’t pretty.
It wasn’t simple.

But it was necessary.

Pain, when embraced, becomes the forge that shapes men into warriors.

Men Today Are Weak Because They Avoid the Hard Things

I say this with love and with fire:

Many men reading this are living the exact life I escaped.

You:

• Avoid confrontation
• Avoid responsibility
• Avoid the gym
• Avoid the Bible
• Avoid prayer
• Avoid discipline
• Avoid your calling
• Avoid leading your family
• Avoid telling the truth
• Avoid your potential
• Avoid the man inside you screaming to be awakened

And you wonder why:

• Your confidence is low
• Your energy is weak
• Your mind is restless
• Your spirit feels empty
• Your relationships feel off
• Your life lacks direction

Brother…

You cannot live a powerful, masculine life while living in comfort, distraction, or spiritual emptiness.

You cannot build a kingdom with soft habits and softer convictions.

You cannot lead if you can’t first lead yourself.

Masculinity Isn’t Toxic — Weakness Is

True masculinity:

• Protects
• Provides
• Leads
• Builds
• Sharpens
• Disciplines
• Prays
• Conquers
• Loves fiercely
• Stands firm
• Holds standards
• Walks in truth

Weakness does the opposite:

• Avoids
• Numbs
• Lies
• Quits
• Pleases
• Shrinks
• Blames

I had weak moments.
I had weak habits.
I made weak decisions.

But God used them to strengthen me.
To redirect me.
To rebuild me.

And He will do the same for you—
if you’re willing to confront the man you’ve become
and step into the man you were designed to be.

The Masculine Roadmap: Faith, Family, Community

Despite everything, these remain nonnegotiable pillars for a man:

FAITH

Without God, you drift.
With Him, you build.

FAMILY

Your role is protector, provider, and leader—
even if you’re still preparing for the family you will one day have.

COMMUNITY

You cannot become a strong man in isolation.
You need other men—real men—who sharpen you.

Final Word: The Path to Becoming a Man Requires Hard Choices

I’ve walked through pain.
I’ve made mistakes.
I’ve lived out of alignment.
I’ve faced the truth of who I was—and who I wasn’t.
I’ve had to tear down parts of myself to rebuild something stronger.

But those hard choices saved my life.
They put me on the path God intended.
They gave me strength, clarity, purpose, and peace.

And brother…

You might be one hard decision away from becoming the man God designed you to be.

Stop running.
Stop numbing.
Stop hiding.
Stop shrinking.

Rise.
Lead.
Rebuild.

Your soul depends on it.
Your legacy depends on it.
Your future family depends on it.
God is waiting for you to step into your rightful place.

Live wildly and free - Justin