Most of us don’t equate love with the Marine Corps. That’s not to say that we don’t care for and appreciate the men and women who serve, just that it’s an odd sort of pairing. And I don’t equate the military with God, but I’ve learned to see Him in some pretty unexpected places. That’s where I’m headed with this post, so bear with me, I believe you’ll see some amazing lessons too.
1) Commitment takes us places we never imagined.
Some of them will be beautiful and some difficult. It’s the same when we choose to follow God—we’re in for the adventure of a lifetime, but we’re not in the driver’s seat.
2) Hard times make us stronger.
I watched the things our son went through during his training. Boot camp in particular was hard for me. What they did seemed almost cruel. But the results were undeniable. God is never cruel, but circumstances can appear to paint Him that way. But when we stick with Him, He can take the difficulties of life and use them for our good.
3) Whining gets us nowhere, but prayer is powerful.
This was a hard lesson for me. I discovered I’m a natural whiner when things are tough—and even more so when things are hard for those I love. God used my son’s time in the military to teach me the difference between whining and praying.
4) Sometimes circumstances don’t change, but we can.
Once I learned lesson #3, God used our conversations to change me. And that change affected my attitude, which resulted in a domino effect throughout our family and community. It’s what led to writing about the lessons I was learning and that brought me here.
5) God’s faithfulness rarely looks like what we expect.
I used to think being faithful would guarantee me an easier road through life. Not so much. Instead what faithfulness gave me was peace beyond circumstances, joy in the midst of trouble, and trust when the world is a dark and scary place.
God is always with us. When we seek Him, we will find Him, even in the Marine Corps.
