A Good Soldier

I honor those who have and are serving in our military.  I missed serving in the military to protect our nation as well as the important disciplines a soldier learns.  Albeit, I’m not certain all the good a person in the military learns is maintained after serving.  Perhaps the most valuable one that can affect their future is the surrender of their will.  We have a plethora of young adults who also missed serving in the military and therefore never learned that discipline.  It now shows in their world view, work ethic, marriage and various other areas of their life. 

It has been well stated through the years that we are our own worst enemy.  Paul put it this way

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12, ESV).  Our will is seduced into being dominated by all kinds of things, many within the echo chambers of our mind.  Externally, we can be dominated by food, the influence of others, sports, sexual desires or preference, adrenaline or drugs (including alcohol).  Internally, we can be dominated by worry or anxiety, greed, bitterness or resentment, words from our past or heritage, and the list can go on and on. 

My grandsons have a hard time saying NO to themselves.  I try hard to remind them that it is important to their future to learn to say NO to their desires.  Our church recently called for a two-week fast of one’s choice.  I was so proud of my grandsons for fasting sugar.  One of them for certain was able to resist sugar for the full determined time.  I firmly believe when a person can learn to say NO to him/herself, that person can accomplish so much more in life.

Paul wrote to his young comrade to say NO to his desire for comfort and instead Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3, NIV).  Jesus said If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24, ESV).  To me these challenges stress the necessity of saying NO to self.  I find it is vital for spiritual soldiers today to learn the same lesson our military trains their recruits to do.  All other things are comparatively irrelevant.

If our Lord has your will and mine, He will also have our body, mind, strength, ambitions, inclinations, attitudes, in short, my ALL.  Ironically, while that sounds far to denigrating to our natural mind, the truth is [God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).  Paul wrote, since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else (Romans 8:32, NLT2)?  Jesus said if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13, NLT2).   The surrender of our will to Him can be most rewarding.

I’ve found the Psalmist words in Ps 9:10 to be very true.  The more I have learned to intimately know God’s name (His character, values, and ways), the more I’m enabled to trust Him enough to say NO to myself.  So, “at ease” fellow soldier!  We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28, NLT2).  He always leads us to triumph as we follow His commands (2 Cor 2:14).

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