I hate Mondays.
I know it’s such a cliché thing to say, but it’s true. I really do not like Mondays. It never fails that I have a hard time falling asleep on Sunday nights. When my alarm goes off on Monday morning, I wake up tired. I’m unproductive at work. I can’t focus on school. And I go to bed at the end of the day feeling like it wasn’t a very good day.
Can you relate? Maybe it’s Mondays for you, or maybe it’s a different day, or maybe it’s even every day. You wake up tired and unmotivated, and all you want to do is go back to sleep or watch Netflix all day.
For me, I think I dislike Mondays so much because I don’t want to go back to my working routine. On Saturdays and Sundays, I get to sleep in, and be lazy, and do whatever I feel like doing. But Monday morning starts a new week of waking up early, and work issues, and stressful school assignments. I don’t want to go back to work because work is hard. I would rather just scroll through social media, watch movies, or read books.
Work often feels bad, but this is not how the Bible characterizes it.
A lot of people think that work is a result of the Fall. This is actually not true. In the beginning, God worked. He worked to create the entire universe – the oceans, the islands, the stars, the palm trees and the rose bushes, the parrots and the stingrays, the giraffes and the elephants, the human beings. And when He created those human beings, He gave them work to do, too-
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15, ESV
Adam was to work in the garden. He was to name all the animals (Genesis 2:19), and he and his wife were to have dominion over all the living things on the earth (Genesis 1:28). After the Fall, physical work did become more difficult and painful (Genesis 3:17-19). But God created work, and everything God created was good (Genesis 1:31).
Our work is not just something we have to do; it’s a gift from God. So, we should take pleasure in our work (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13), and we should work hard at what we do (Ecclesiastes 9:10). The Bible actually says that the desire of the lazy person will kill him, or at least ruin him, since he refuses to ever do any work (Proverbs 21:25).
There are several practical reasons to work and work hard. One main reason to work is to be able to make money (Proverbs 10:4, 14:23). When one works and makes money, they are able to provide for their needs and not be a burden to someone else (Proverbs 13:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10). They are also able to provide for their relatives and give generously to others (1 Timothy 5:8, Ephesians 4:28).
Of course, the Bible also warns against being a workaholic and attempting to amass as much money and wealth as possible. While having money is certainly not a sin, having a love of money can lead to many different sins, including greed, covetousness, theft, etc. (1 Timothy 6:10). Instead of laying up treasures on earth, we are called to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). And just as God rested from His work of creation, we are also called to rest from our work (Exodus 20:8-11).
As Christians, we are called to more than just hard work and providing for others. We were created for good works (Ephesians 2:10), and we are called to do everything in the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:17).
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Colossians 3:23
Through our work, we are to bring glory to God because that is ultimately who we are working for (1 Corinthians 10:31). We are to abound in the work of the Lord, for our hard labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). In our work, we are to be a light for Jesus so that when people see us and how we work, they see Jesus in us and come to know Him better (Matthew 5:16).
Although God is our true and ultimate master, our work may still not be easy. Our work may still take a lot of time. Our work may still take a lot of effort. Our work may still be stressful or tiring. But God encourages us in His Word to not grow weary, to not give up because those who work hard to do good will be blessed and rewarded (Galatians 6:9).
Work is good, and we are called to work hard, not only to make money and help others, but also to obey, honor, and glorify God. Your work may look like going into the office from nine to five (or staying home in the office from nine to five). It may look like taking care of your babies or teaching your kids reading, writing, and arithmetic. It may look like going to eight a.m. classes or studying all night long. Wherever God had placed you to work, work hard, glorify God, share the gospel, and do not give up! And may God bless you in your work-
“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” Psalm 90:17
