When people I meet learn that I was in the military and served a year in the sandbox, they are often surprised. It would seem that I don’t strike most folks as one who would choose to join the army. When I am inevitably asked what made me decide to enlist, I find myself lacking a concrete answer. The truth is that I’d always felt a draw towards the military that was inexplicable, even to me. However, I never had the courage to join because I found the idea of going through basic training daunting in the extreme.

Then came 9/11 and a few years later, in August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane resulted in over 1800 fatalities, and it was during this time that I was finally so overwhelmed by my desire to do something to help, I found myself signing paperwork in the local National Guard armory. I realized I couldn’t choose to ignore a calling because I was afraid of it. So it was that I started basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, in September 2005.

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory belong to the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31 AMP

It is in hindsight that I have learned the value of basic training, and more specifically, the necessity for it to be a harsh and challenging environment. Basic training is designed to help a new soldier let go of the “self first” mentality and embrace the “all for one” mentality. It is designed to break down the individual soldiers, and build them back up through trials, tribulations, and accomplishments. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness going through basic training. David spent his youth as a shepherd in the field for his basic training. Life itself is a form of basic training for all of us.

Everything in BCT (basic combat training) is designed to strengthen new soldiers in body, mind, and spirit. When one person chooses to break a rule, punishment typically comes to the entire squad, platoon, or company. It is the same in life…often the poor decisions and mistakes we make adversely affect those around us. The point of punishing many for the mistake of one is to put additional emphasis on the need for good and careful judgment. When in the midst a truly dangerous situation, one wrong move by a single individual can get multiple people injured, or even killed. A soldier must be aware at all times that the choices in front of them will have consequences for those around them. The same is true for a soldier in God’s army.

Punishment in BCT commonly comes in the form of physical exertion, whether it is doing push-ups, running, or maybe a laborious cleaning assignment. By doing this, the soldier is not only learning discipline, but is simultaneously being physically conditioned. Marching and running cadences increase endurance when on the move. They force soldiers to learn to control their breathing, while increasing their stamina. They also keep the mind distracted from the arduous journey at hand. In life, we use prayer, worship songs, fellowship, and time spent with the word of God to keep our minds away from our difficulties, while also giving us strength of spirit and helping build endurance during times of struggle.

The “all for one” mindset is as critical for the followers of Christ as it is for military soldiers. We are given many insights throughout the Bible regarding the importance of fellowship. Ephesians 2:22 AMP says, “In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”  Fellowship with other believers teaches us how to love and support each other in the face of great pain and strife. It teaches us the value of unconditional love and forgiveness, but also the necessity of both. People are going to make mistakes, and as even the most experienced soldier can misread a signal or order from their command, the most well-intentioned loved one can have a grievous error in judgment. This doesn’t mean they intended to do harm. It means they are human. We are ALL human. Loyalty and dedication to our brothers and sisters, especially when things are hitting the fan, is not just encouraged, but it’s expected.

If we, as soldiers, are not able to withstand pressure and hardship in the safety of a training environment, how will we survive when faced with a true enemy? If we, as followers of the Lord, are not able to love one another, and turn to God, trusting Him in all things, we become easy targets for Satan’s tricks and lies. Back in World War II, the Marines recruited bilingual Navajo speakers to serve as “code talkers” for communication in battle. This method of getting messages back and forth was truly critical, as it provided a reliably safe way to communicate plans and strategies between command centers and units out in the heat of battle. One of the most effective tools of any enemy is to thwart communication through interception of one message, and relaying a fake message back.

Prayer and the word of God are the only reliable and unbreakable means of communication between us and our Father in Heaven. Satan is the master of sending us fake messages. He controls us with fear and anger towards one another, and he does everything he can to break the bonds of love and loyalty between God’s children, as this is the best way to weaken our spirits and separate us from feeling the love of God. Love and forgiveness are not feelings, they are choices. One of the hardest things to learn in this life is how to love and forgive someone when they cause us pain. If we wait until we “feel” ready to forgive them, we will never get there. Satan will make sure of that. It is up to us to make the choice to forgive them, and trust the relationship to God.

The bottom line is that life is a battlefield, and the trials we suffer can and will be used by God to strengthen us. Just as soldiers are prepared for success in battle during the course of basic training, we are prepared for future challenges with each and every difficulty we face. The more experienced we become at facing our difficulties well, the more we are able to help others learn how to do the same.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.” Ephesians 6:12 AMP