The journey's end is perfect unity with God. This will never be achieved in this life. In fact, to say that this is "life" is in fact an error. For this time we exist is in death. For from the moment you are born do you begin to die. The body's clock is very finite and short, giving us almost very little time to struggle for God's sake. Our journey's end is eternal life, anything short of that is eternal death. And so we must continue to fight, to struggle, to resist the natural temptations of this world to draw us away from the path of true life.

A person's position at a job is based on their experience and the value they bring to the employer. Those few who strive to improve their value to company (either through night school, special classes or self-taught) earn a greater chance for advancement within that company. This too is true of your spiritual journey, that each day presents an opportunity to learn something new. Some days it will be heaven blessed contemplation, or a revelation in our spiritual understandings of what is written in the Bible. Other days, it is the realization of our own weaknesses, pointed out to us by our failings or a fall. Recognizing one's own weaknesses is the greatest gift you can attain in your spiritual battle. For in knowing your weaknesses, you can safeguard them from the Devil's snares.

"Nothing is easier for God than to give you victory over your enemies, whether they be few or many, whether they be old and strong or new and weak. Yet He has His own time and order for everything." This is the Hope On God, that we will eventually be one with Him. But the time frame is known only to God. It could be today, tomorrow or fifty years from now. The struggle is to remain within His armies, that when He chooses to call us, He finds us near.

In the above quote, "they be old and strong" is referring to the sins that have been part of our very core. In fact, these old and strong sinful ways of thinking are more habit than known. These are the deeply root weeds in our garden that take great unceasing effort to remove. For any half-measured effort will only ruin the garden. The unremoved weed will outgrow the fruit bearing vine and kill it. Now God could easily remove these from us, for us. But the most cherished gift a child owns is the one he earned. When we overcome these hardened habits of dead-living, we strengthen ourselves in God's will. But to leave them unchallenged is merely a waste of time for you will eventually need to deal with them. Think of it this way, as you advance spiritually, you begin to ascend the ladder. You may be able to climb a few rungs, but the unchallenged sin keeps you link to the ground, the dirt from which we came. Face these sins without shame, for we are all sinners. Face them, grant them no power over you, defeat them and free yourself from the death they bring.

And remember, this unceasing effort comes with many, many challenges. Not only facing your inner demons, and the thinking that led to their invitation into your being, but also daily struggles that cause us to fall, to fail and yes to even be ashamed. But this shame you may feel is brought on you by pride - for the humble person has no shame, for they do not hold themselves in high regard. To sin is human. So recognize that you will fail, you will fall, you will sin as it is our human nature. So confess it, repent it, correct it and never, ever stop striving for the journey's end - unity with God for everlasting life.