It should be the hallmark of the believers when asked, "What will you do in Ramadan?" They should respond with, "Allah will see what I am going to do (to please Him). I will strive against my own self, inclination, desires, lusts, food, drink, property and health: {Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.} [Quran 9:111]"
The way of striving is the one by which a person shows his Lord how he fulfills the covenant, spends his property, time and effort in the way of Allah The Almighty. The striving believer expects forgiveness, exalts the Lord, approaches Him, loves Him, and gives preference to what is with Allah The Almighty instead of what is perishable unlike those described by Allah The Almighty Who Says (what means): {But you prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more enduring.} [Quran 87:16-17] They indeed prefer the Hereafter and what is with Allah The Almighty. They prefer to please Allah The Almighty, love Him, draw closer to Him, approach Him and obey Him. At the same time, they know that if they prefer that which is with Allah The Almighty, He, in turn, will help them, give them preference over others in the affairs of their world for which they fear, and give them thereof without account, in confirmation of His Saying (what means): {"Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."} [Quran 2:201] He will give them the good of this world and the good of the Hereafter, and the light of striving and guidance will be visible on them: {And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.} [Quran 29:69]
The issue of striving is very lengthy, and we have explained what one should learn to strive against himself, proceed with it to Allah The Almighty, be decisive with one's Self, have control over it, suppress it, curb it, and lead it to Allah The Almighty. It is by doing so that one learns that Paradise, as mentioned by the Messenger of Allah "is surrounded by all kinds of unfavorable things, whereas Hell is surrounded by all kinds of desires." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Both desires and unfavorable things are curbed only with striving against oneself to endure the unfavorable things to attain Paradise, and to refrain from desires in order to save oneself from Hell, as mentioned by the Prophet .
If one is eager to seek forgiveness, he would not let Ramadan pass away, week after another, without self-reckoning. The righteous believers addressed by the speech of Allah The Almighty to observe fasting, stand (in prayer), and do righteous deeds, should practice self-reckoning before their days slip away from them, and this month is over and they get nothing.
Perhaps you have noticed how fast life passes by these days and similarly, Ramadan ends very quickly too. You should wonder whether you are still determined to realize the means of forgiveness, mercy and emancipation from Hell, or you have slackened, and not experienced what one should feel when knowing that Allah The Almighty is about to grant him forgiveness, and accept him. If the first week comes to an end, you should ask yourself whether you have got accustomed to standing at night in prayer, about which the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever stands (in prayer) Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking the Reward of Allah, his previous sins would be forgiven for him." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Have you then got accustomed to it? Have you accustomed yourself to it? Did you like its length? Is it a cause of your love for your Lord, drawing closer to Him, and long private talk with Him, so much that you no longer liked to come out of the presence of Allah The Almighty, or do you still come late? In this case, you do not seem to fear the statement of the Messenger of Allah "Some people continue to come (to prayer) late until Allah delays them." [Muslim]
We ask Allah The Almighty to enable us to experience the sweetness of worship in Ramadan and thereafter.