Last Sunday, we had a mini-initiation for one of my 12 who was going to "book in" for the first time on Monday to Tekong (the start of many more memorable book-ins...). Yups, Luke, my young padawan was just about to begin his training to become a jedi knight! Ermm, Luke Weeleopardcrawler perhaps? Ha ha. While, the process of change in the Army has often been described as "when a boy becomes a man", I have come to know that this is not necessarily true. As in, I have seen many people come out of Army pretty much still the boy they went in. More skeptical, depressed and perhaps, vulgar even.
The discipline and training in the army develops our character and pushes us to see ourselves for who we really are. It is in the tiring and "wah, I just want to give up" situations that our true colours are revealed and displayed for all the world to see. Some of us might be surprised or even shocked to see who or what lies beneath our normally pleasant and gentle self. However, the change and transformation does not come just by being part of the hardship. Those times only serve to reveal our weaknesses (and strengths too) if we choose to just be a passerby.
Change and transformation come only when we determine to persevere through and not give up. They come when we challenge the obstacles that hold us back and push forward to break the barriers that existed only in our minds. We grow in our character when amidst all the hardship, we can still pick ourselves up and be a blessing to someone else. This calls for sacrifice and a mindset of putting others above ourselves.
The reason why I found myself reflecting on all these is because I realised that the Army of God is not much different! Trainings like Encounter, Post-Encounter, SOL and the rest of the Ladder of Success and meant to built in certain spiritual disciplines in our lives. It's not easy for all of us to wake up early on a Sunday morning to be there to learn and receive but it's necessary. Being there itself does not change and transform us. It just reveals the condition of our heart before God! Being faithful to His word and applying it to our lives is what will build character. Godly character.
From my experience in the army (a few years ago...heh) I have learnt some principles that will help us in our walk with God.
1. Personal Determination
People enter the army with different mindsets. Some just want to go in and do the least. Others, try to make the best out of whatever vocation they are posted to. These are people who benefit the most. In the same way, our Christian growth starts with us determining to make something out of it. It begins with us saying, "Yes! I want the approval of God more than the approval of man!" While this might be inspired by your pastor or a great speaker of your G12 leader, it is a conviction that has to come from within you. You have to make a personal choice to do so!
2. Being with the Community
One of the best thing about the army is that you realise you are not the only one "suffering". Even when punishment is meted out, it is seldom the case that you go through it alone. Having people who are in the same situation with you makes for great encouragement. It is then that we can spur each other on positively.
While life is often less accommodating and we find ourselves in situations where nobody else seems to understand, it is important to surround yourself with people whom you can trust to help and encourage you. This is where your spiritual family come in. It is when we are among people whom we can trust to correct us when necessary but yet not judge us for the mistakes we make, that we can grow healthily.
3. Growing from strength to strength
In the army, after BMT (Basic Military Training) comes SISPEC, OCS or UNIT LIFE. After each phase of training, there is always another that presents greater challenges and opportunities. It is easy to grow complacent and enter the next phase of training with a more "bo chap" attitude if we are not careful. Sometimes, it is not so much out of complacency but out of tiredness. Imagine coming back from a 24 hour route march and then coming to terms with the fact that you will be off to Taiwan in 2 weeks for a 3 week training. There are lots of logistics to prepare for, you are physically tired and you have just been awarded 2 "extras" (extra duties given as punishment in the army) for forgetting to complete something. It takes great effort to push on!
Our Christian walk is no different. God wants us to grow from strength to strength. He does not want us to be complacent with what we have or who we are. It is when we become complacent in our spiritual walk that begin to entertain thoughts of "I can sort of do it on my own liao. I sort of don't need God." or "When is all these going to end? Where is God when I need Him? Is God still real???" The key is this. If we have built our foundations well, then we do not start from zero. We know to trust God and His sovereignty. We know to do our best and let God handle the rest. We know to depend on God and not on our own understanding. We have done all those before. But we need to do it even more now. That is how we will grow from strength to strength, and from glory to glory in the eyes of God.
Some of you know that I am going through a stressful period in school. I have had many thoughts of giving up and why this and that and how and what ifs and what nots and what's going to happen and why am I like that and why can't God just take it all away. The above post is my way of saying, in my hardship, I hope I can still be a blessing to the people around me. Writing it out, I am encouraged to press on in my own life and see God's grace at work in my life. I don't have all the answers to what I am going through, but God does. And my prayer for myself and for you too is that you will learn what it means to depend on God and grow from strength to strength. I leave you with a photo of Luke and the guys. And yes, and we celebrate each of you who is a soldier for Christ too. :)
