Today I’m posting on Five Minute Fridays writing prompt link-up. One-word prompt, five minutes of writing. The prompt this week is ENDURE.

Life can be hard sometimes. Everyone’s trail is different and relative. For me, it might be caregiving challenges. For you, it could be raising four children still in single digits. Either way, we go through it every day. But the thought of enduring life isn’t the outlook we should have.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

To endure is to continue in the same state; to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding.

My friends, God never intended that we merely endure life. To stay in one place living in an I’m stuck mentality. Don’t allow the enemy to set up camp here. Jesus knows our suffering because He’s already suffered for our release.

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. 1 John 4: 9

On the other hand, to overcome is to succeed in dealing with (a problem or difficulty); defeat (an opponent); prevail.

We can overcome the overwhelm only through Jesus (Phil 4:13) and His love. That love in us, it’s there in all believers, is a gift through the Spirit to share with others. When we stay close to Jesus, we share from the overflow, a Holy Spirit spring that never runs dry. And it changes us day by day until we begin to look like Jesus.

Enduring and overcoming, these are two very different outlooks on life. For one, the focal point is inward, while the other is outward. Which do you prefer?

We are encouraged to live life and live it to the full (John 10:10), and I don’t think that happens without love. Not doing so means Jesus didn’t do enough on the cross, and that’s not true.

Let’s flip the script for a minute and talk about the endurance we need to live a full life. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint.” Endurance means you are in it or the long haul, like a marathon runner. It’s an action word! The finish line comes after training, pain, maybe even a fall, but you get up and keep going.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11

Success doesn’t always come with medals or trophies. Just accomplishing what you set out to do is the bigger prize (1 Cor 9:24-27). Defeat the I’m stuckness holding you back by being present and engaged with the ones you love, serving well in your workplace and community, and love God by loving His people. That sounds like a full life to me. So, put on your running shoes and let’s get going.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

You can also find me here this week: 
Faith on Fire, Lyli Dunbars link-up.
Grace and Truth Link-Up
Inspire Me Monday link-up, hosted by Anita Ojeda

Image with a quote from thecarodiaries.com

Thanks to Merriam Webster.com for the definitions.