I have a reliable job that pays my bills. When I first took the job, I enjoyed it. But recently, I’ve been dreading Monday mornings. What should I do?

Haven’t we all been there?

Maybe you’re currently in a job you once longed for—even prayed for—and couldn’t wait to start, but now you have the Sunday scaries, dragging yourself out of bed on Monday morning only to count down the days until Friday.

Or maybe you’re in a job you never really wanted but took out of necessity, expecting to move on to something different after a short time—but you haven’t.

So what do you do when you’re no longer excited to go to work?

1. Diagnose the restlessness.

You can start by prayerfully identifying why you’re struggling to enjoy your work, even talking it through with wise believers who know you well. There could be legitimate reasons for your restlessness as God convicts you to leave or directs you to go. Is your work morally wrong or serving a purpose contradictory to God’s good design? Are you feeling increasingly drawn to another field that better leverages God’s gifting in your life?

On the other hand, there may be sources of restlessness that need to be overcome by resting in who God is and his eternal purposes for earthly work. Are you bored? Maybe you’re being called to persevere in the mundane. Do you resent a lack of recognition, applause, or promotion? Maybe you need to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, knowing that in due time he’ll exalt you (1 Pet. 5:6).

There may be sources of restlessness that need to be overcome by resting in who God is and his eternal purposes for earthly work.

Do you not want to work so hard? Maybe you need to turn from the temptation of a sluggard and take up the way of diligence—not a way that idolizes work, seeks self-worth in achievement, or disobeys commandments to rest but a way that gratefully carries on Christ’s light and easy yoke (Prov. 6:6; Matt. 11:30).

2. Remember your why.

Can you still remember your first day of work? Can you remember your job application, interviews, or initial inquiry into the role? Why did you seek it or accept it? Was this once your dream job, but you’ve come to take it for granted now that the glamour of newness has worn off? Did you once see it as a provision for which you praised God after desperate prayers?

Maybe the Lord needs to call you back to purpose and gratitude. Rather than grumbling or complaining (Phil. 2:14), we are to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18)—including for our jobs, which many would likely take gladly.

3. Consider God’s why.

Beyond your own why, consider how God may be using your work for his good purposes. Maybe you “just” work for a restaurant—a place where God can nourish bodies and souls through your care. Maybe you “just” work for a golf course—a place where people can enjoy God’s beautiful creation that tells of his glory. Maybe you “just” work for a medical office—a place to reflect the work of our merciful Healer who will one day abolish sickness and death.

At the least, we’ll always be surrounded by people we can encourage, serve, and point to the truth. Each day is rife with opportunities to see as God sees and love as he loves. Everyone could use an affirmation of what is being done well. Everyone could use reminders of (or introductions to) God’s Word. Everyone could use compassionate care in hardships. Everyone could use an example of integrity, humility, and faithfulness in the workplace.

Your students, colleagues, or clients may be your uniquely God-ordained mission field—people in whose stories God is making you a pivotal character for the gospel. This alone brings an exciting missional reality to your work.

In all these things, trust that God can be glorified in any work done with all your heart as unto him and that no labor for the Lord is ever in vain (Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 15:58)

4. Aim for enjoyment.

Throughout most of history, vocational options weren’t nearly as vast as they are today. For many people, there wasn’t (and still today isn’t) an option at all. But even so, the teacher from Ecclesiastes beckons you out of your despondency to find enjoyment in all your toil for this brief life under the sun (Eccl. 5:18–20).

He doesn’t tell you to passively wait for the feeling of enjoyment to come to you. He tells you to find it. For all that isn’t ideal about your occupation in this fallen world, what can you find to be grateful for and even enjoy?

5. Watch and work.

Amid the discontent, for as long as you’re in your position, continue serving faithfully as you open your prayers, attention, and effort to the possibility of a new chapter. Have conversations. Explore the skills you want to develop. Apply for other roles that could be a good fit. Seek the counsel of trustworthy truth-tellers who know you well.

For all that isn’t ideal about your occupation in this fallen world, what can you find to be grateful for and even enjoy?

But as you do, don’t neglect the work you’ve been entrusted with today. Run hard all the way to the finish line—however far out it may be. And remember that those who are faithful with little can be entrusted with much (Luke 16:10).

It could be that your workplace relationships today will one day connect you to the next assignment God has for you—like the cupbearer did for Joseph in prison (Gen. 40–41). It could be that your current responsibilities are a training ground for the skills and experience you’ll need in your next role—like David’s shepherding prepared him to face Goliath (1 Sam. 17). It could be that your line of work is forging in you the vision and character you’ll need for the next—like Jesus’s disciples were being prepared as fishermen to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19).

As you wait for God to make the next steps clear, faithfully steward what he’s entrusted to you and keep your eyes on him.