Sometimes people mean different things when they say that they’re “surviving.” Sometimes they mean that life is neither good nor bad, that they aren’t doing anything particularly exciting or interesting but also nothing terrible is going on either. What they really mean is that they are existing.
Sometimes people mean that they are not doing anything at all, that they are letting life take them where it will and that they’re along for the ride. What they really mean is that they’re coasting.
And sometimes, more often than not, when people say that they are surviving, they mean that they are actually fighting for their lives.
Surviving isn’t passive. It’s daily hard choices to wrestle and fight for your life. It certainly isn’t pretty. It’s filled with blood, broken bones, tears, mud, and sweat. Surviving isn’t existing, which is a fairly neutral state to be in. It is fighting for your existence. Surviving isn’t coasting. Coasting takes no effort on our parts. None at all. Fighting though, fighting takes everything within you. It takes courage, passion, determination, and getting back up when you don’t want to anymore. Surviving is an intentional fight for your life.
You are fighting for you, for your family, for your loved ones, for life. You are fighting the same battle that Jesus died for: for you to have life and life abundantly, for you to be healed and whole. Take courage, you are fighting for an infinitely worthy cause.
At times this may not be easy and you may feel like giving in— keep fighting. Even if fighting looks like taking a nap when you need one or cutting toxic relationships out of your life. Even if fighting looks like watching hilarious cat videos or walking with God on a hike. Even if fighting looks like being angry, hurt, or sad— keep fighting. Even if it looks like crying, punching something, breaking something. Even if it looks like a long hug, laughter, deep breaths, and heavy sighs.
You are worth the fight.
You are not alone. Fight the good fight.