My word promises you victory. What do you think this looks like? The stories of great struggles you are familiar with from your culture involve an escalating conflict that moves inevitably to a final dramatic showdown in which the victor clearly triumphs and the foe is completely defeated. Is this what you expect? For my word also teaches you to be patient and endure, even as a soldier or competitor. This is not as dramatic, and implies that all you have to do is stay in the game. All I ask of you is to run to the finish. Blessed is he who endures to the end and if you understand this you know that enduring is prevailing. Run to the finish and you will win. 

How do you treat people of other faiths? Your basic beliefs are in conflict with theirs. Do you view them as enemies? You have a real adversary, but it would be more accurate to view those of other faiths as captives rather than actual enemies, and it isn’t necessary to attack them. You can approach them and inquire of their beliefs out of genuine curiosity. It is OK to engage in a dialogue, and to acknowledge that you are on a spiritual journey yourself. You are called to have an answer for the hope that lies in you, but you don’t have to have an answer for everything. In order to let you light shine and preach the good news of the Kingdom you first have to engage. 

Do you say, ‘I’m sorry’ when you need to seek forgiveness from someone else? You can use the same words to express a general feeling of sympathy for events over which you had no control over, such as ‘I’m sorry you wrecked your car’. My teachings about giving and receiving forgiveness are clear. They imply that you also need to seek forgiveness by way of apology for offenses you commit. In doing this you can graciously apply a higher standard of conduct to yourself than you expect of others. When others tell you they are sorry you can accept it as an apology, but make your own unambiguous and unmistakable. 

I said that I came that you may have life in abundance. Do you find that you are constantly busy, without a spare moment? Would you describe this as an abundant life? It is possible to fill up your schedule without filling up your life. Having no time to pause and reflect suggests that you are going in too many directions. The world you live in makes it easy to do this, and it takes focus and discipline to ignore the many distractions available to you, which draw you away from what is really important. No soldier entangles himself with the things of this world, that he may please his superiors. You may obtain a more abundant life by being involved in fewer things instead of more.