Top o’ the Mornin’ to Ya!
TLDR: Discover why the “Thank God It’s Friday” mindset reveals a defeatist life of just getting by rather than living with purpose. Learn how Kingdom Family Leaders can shift from weekend escape mentality to finding fulfillment in daily work done as unto the Lord, and why gratitude beats the grind every time.
What?
Thank God it’s Friday! Do you have a “thank God it’s Friday” outlook on life, on the world, on everything? Thank God it’s Friday is such a defeatist mindset. It’s like you’re in a place you don’t want to be. Maybe we are because we are not to be of this world. We are to be in this world, but not of this world.
TGIF is just “I don’t like my job. I’m just gonna do the standard normal thing. I wanna work my 40 hours, and I’m gonna go home. And I’m gonna drink and get drunk. And then I’m gonna wake up and recover halfway. And then I’m gonna drink and get drunk. And I’m gonna recover halfway. Maybe get to church, and then do it all over again.” That’s my life because I’m an average, below average American just looking to get by.
That’s not what God created us for. He created us for community. He created us for life. He created us for giving.
Maybe you’re in a season like that. Maybe take out the drunk part. Maybe your ministry is on Saturday and Sunday. Maybe your ministry is on the evenings. Maybe your life and community in a good sense is on the weekends. And that’s okay. But if it is, think about your gifts? What brings you joy?
Because the Bible says whatever you do, do it as to the Lord and not unto men. Whatever job you take, whatever role you’re rolling in, it should bring joy. It should bring God’s kingdom. It should bring fulfillment. It should bring accomplishment. It should bring you and those around you closer to knowing God.
So take your TGIF attitude and shove it. Put it away and thank God for EVERY day. When I’m thankful, I’m just peace-filled. I’m just relaxed and chill. When I’m giving and serving others, I don’t even think about my concerns, my worries, my cares, my fears, my anxiety. I’m just focused on you the people I’m serving.
So be a servant leader wherever you are. Find ways to thank God every day. And find a way to remove that desire for Fridays.
Why?
I share this because the TGIF mentality has infected America and we should know better. When your week is something to survive and Friday is your escape, you’re living a defeated life of just getting by. You’re treating five days as imprisonment and two days as parole.
This mindset reveals you’re in the wrong place or approaching the right place with the wrong attitude. God didn’t create you to be an average, below-average American grinding through life waiting for weekends. He created you for purpose, community, giving, and bringing His kingdom wherever you are.
The weekend escape cycle – work, recover, drink, recover, maybe church, repeat – is settling for less than God’s design for your life.
Lesson
The command “whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord and not unto men” transforms how you approach every role. When your work is done for God rather than just for a paycheck or boss’s approval, it satisfies. Your job becomes a platform for Kingdom impact, not just a means to fund your real life on weekends.
This doesn’t mean every job brings equal joy or that you shouldn’t pursue work aligned with your gifts. But it does mean that wherever you currently are, you can approach it as service to God rather than drudgery to escape. The question shifts from “How do I survive until Friday?” to “How do I bring God’s kingdom here today?”
Gratitude is the antidote to the grind. When you’re thankful, you’re peace-filled, relaxed, chill. When you’re giving and serving others, your own concerns, worries, cares, fears, and anxiety fade because you’re focused outward instead of inward. This is why servant leadership wherever you are beats the TGIF mentality.
The principle applies whether your current season requires working a job that funds weekend ministry or you’re in a position where your work itself is ministry. Either way, the TGIF attitude reveals misalignment – either you’re in the wrong place, or you’re approaching the right place with the wrong heart.
Apply
Examine your attitude toward Monday through Friday. If you find yourself living for weekends, ask two questions: (1) What are my gifts and what brings me joy? (2) How can I approach my current role as service unto the Lord? Write down specific ways you can bring Kingdom impact to your current work.
This week, catch yourself every time you think or say “Thank God it’s Friday” or count down to the weekend. Replace that thought with gratitude for today and identify one way you can serve someone in your current context. Practice thanking God for every day, not just Fridays.
You be blessed!
