A Christian is to be a soldier “marching as to war,” not searching for a safe harbor in which to drop anchor and rest.\u00a0 He is to be in the world, doing the work God would have him do.\u00a0 That work\u2014and the constant spiritual struggle it presents\u2014can be unbelievably fatiguing.\u00a0 The daily struggle to live the Christian life while nearly being overwhelmed wears on a Christian’s spiritual, emotional, and even physical being.\u00a0 If after fighting not to be overwhelmed he spends his remaining energy recuperating from spiritual fatigue, he has little energy left for personal growth and nothing left for assertively professing his faith.\u00a0 Constant bombardment in a hostile environment quickly wears a Christian out, and it tends to put him on the defensive, rather than the offense for Christ he would desire.\u00a0 He may be in the world, but if his efforts are focused on not getting drowned by it, he’s not doing much in the way of saving those around him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Christian living a challenging life in the non-Christian fighter pilot world may begin to question whether he should continue to be a fighter pilot\u2014or if he should even remain in the military.\u00a0 While there may be times when it is tiring and difficult, the Christian must strive to live the best life that he can for God.\u00a0 Paul said in Galatians that he should<\/p>\n
not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (6:9-10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The author of Hebrews encouraged him to<\/p>\n
persevere, so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised (10:36).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A Christian will indeed see the results of what he has done if he endures.\u00a0 It would be nice if “the proper time” was that moment when he felt as though his struggle had been in vain; then he could be comforted that he was moving in the right direction.\u00a0 It’s possible, though, that the proper time may be eternity.\u00a0 Regardless, a Christian must persevere in making the choices and living the life God has for him.<\/p>\n
A Christian’s Purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n
One of the primary ways a Christian fighter pilot can fight spiritual fatigue is to understand his purpose.\u00a0 Imagine that a commander grabs his stopwatch, takes his troops to a track, and tells them to start running.\u00a0 Their ability to perform to their best capabilities will be inhibited because they don’t know why they’re there:\u00a0 they don’t know whether he wants them to sprint one lap or pace hundreds.\u00a0 If he tells them that they’re taking an annual fitness test, then they know their purpose and they’re able to view the exercise with the proper perspective.\u00a0 Their level of effort may be higher than if it was just a “fun run.”\u00a0 If he tells them that the test requires them to complete 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, then they know their ultimate objective.\u00a0 If they didn’t know the finish line and were struggling at the 1.4 mile point they might be inclined to give up, not knowing how close they were to the end.\u00a0 By understanding their purpose and objective they’re able to gain their best performance, even under the hardest of circumstances.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The same is true for the Christian life.\u00a0 A Christian needs to understand his purpose and clearly define his objectives.\u00a0 In 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul said<\/p>\n
everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Christians will have hardship and put a lot of effort into what may sometimes seem a fruitless cause; it is easy for the Christian to lose focus and consider giving up\u2014not knowing how close he is to the finish line.\u00a0 Knowing his purpose will help a Christian stay focused on the reasons for his labor.\u00a0 When he feels he’s suffering without cause he may falter and complain; when he knows that he suffers for a reason, he finds the strength to persevere.\u00a0 If he understands the purpose of his life it will give him the motivation to endure\u2014it is the source of his push, drive, and his “velocity.”\u00a0 His objectives and goals\u2014what he hopes to achieve\u2014give his velocity a “vector.”\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot must understand his purpose, define his objectives, and direct his efforts toward his goals.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
God’s Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n
A Christian fighter pilot’s purpose and objectives should be defined by God’s plan for him.\u00a0 God has him where he is for a reason.\u00a0 He may never see the glowing lights or hear angelic trumpets in the background as someone explains the divine purpose for his life, but by seeking God’s desires he will be able to search out God’s plan.\u00a0 Even if a Christian fighter pilot earnestly looks for God’s purpose, he still may not be able to discern the specifics of what God wants for him\u2014not everyone has the luxury of knowing the future.\u00a0 In some Army and Marine training camps there are forced marches in which those participating don’t know the final objective\u2014the commanders have simply said, “March until I say stop.”\u00a0 While hardly ideal for personal motivation, it achieves the purpose of training the soldiers to follow the order\u2014start marching\u2014without delaying to ask questions.\u00a0 The leadership has the big picture; they can’t always take the time to explain the intimate details to every soldier.\u00a0 Instead, they demand immediate obedience and command unwavering trust.\u00a0 Thousands of soldiers will roll up their sleeping bags and move out without knowing their destination or objective\u2014just on the word of a General.\u00a0 Likewise, God has the big picture; sometimes He clues the Christian in, sometimes God tries but the Christian just doesn’t get it, and sometimes He tells him just to trust Him.\u00a0 While a Christian would like to have his heavenly Commander tell him the reason he’s here and tell him how far he has to go, sometimes that’s the only discernible order he gets from God: move out.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Another key to defining the Christian’s purpose is found in the answer to a simple question:\u00a0 what does he want to be remembered for?\u00a0 This isn’t an arrogant question of legacy but is a simple filter to differentiate the important from the trivial.\u00a0 In his fighter pilot career and throughout his life a Christian will be faced with choices that will send him along separate courses.\u00a0 Would he rather be remembered as the World’s Best Fighter Pilot or the World’s Best Father?\u00a0 I use that example not to imply exclusivity, but instead to make the point that every choice he makes will nudge his life down a unique and specific course.\u00a0 He cannot be all things to all people all the time.\u00a0 He needs to define what is important and that must be what guides the decisions he makes in his life.\u00a0 It’s also important to remember that most things in this life will be forgotten.\u00a0 An oft quoted means of determining the gravity of a situation is the “Five Year Rule.”\u00a0 I’ve also heard it expressed as the “100 Year,” “10 Year,” or “Eternity Rule.”\u00a0 The premise is the same:\u00a0 in 5 years (or 10, or in eternity), is anybody going to remember or care what’s happening right now?\u00a0 Will you?\u00a0 If, 10 years from now, a Christian will look back and think nothing of what he’s going through now, then it can’t be that important.\u00a0 On the other hand, if he thinks that in 10 years he may still regret or second-guess the decisions he’s making now, then it may be time to alter his course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some Christians in the military feel\u00a0as though they are fighting alone, in imminent danger of being overrun.\u00a0 They feel spiritually separated from the ungodly men and women around them, and they are often physically separated from their spiritual family.\u00a0 Every day they face pressure to conform to the world, and when they do not they may experience ridicule and rejection.\u00a0 While the military generally provides a Chaplain and other spiritual resources, in today’s military\u2014faced with the global terror threat\u2014there may be times when it is only a Christian and his Bible.\u00a0 A Christian may go places or be in situations where he is the only Christian, and he has no external spiritual resources on which to call.\u00a0 Whether locked down at an Air Force base in Iraq, on Army patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan, or on a Navy vessel on the ocean, he may be separated from Christian friends and Christian support.\u00a0 The men and women who are around him are the only friends he could possibly have, and they are the same with whom he may face mortal combat.\u00a0 But because of his Christianity, he risks separation from them and being perceived as an outsider.\u00a0 In such an environment there is a strong temptation to simply\u2014albeit temporarily\u2014become like everyone else to fit in and get some kind of support.\u00a0 A Christian must remember that he is not alone; even in the face of such pressure, he must depend on God’s strength to help him persevere in living a life honoring to God. \u00a0As John said in the frequently quoted verse,<\/p>\n
\u2026the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The temptation to “bend to blend” is not new\u2014Moses experienced a similar enticement. \u00a0After being raised as a child of Pharaoh’s daughter, he could have chosen to mingle with the Egyptians to avoid the hardship of the Jewish nation.\u00a0 In Hebrews, though, it says that Moses chose to be mistreated with the Israelites “rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” in Pharaoh’s court (11:25).\u00a0 Moses regarded “disgrace for the sake of Christ” as greater than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward (v26).\u00a0 A Christian who feels as though he is alone in Pharaoh’s court can take strength from Moses’ model, as well as the examples of other Godly characters that prevailed even when surrounded by godlessness:\u00a0 Joseph, Daniel, and Elijah are just a few.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To prepare for the potential of being separated from Christian support, a helpful Christian fighter pilot tool is a pocket-sized Bible.\u00a0 A fighter pilot can take it with him wherever he goes; I carried one in the pocket of my g-suit on every combat sortie.\u00a0 While it didn’t see any use in the cramped cockpit of my night sorties, I carried it in the event I was downed in Iraq.\u00a0 A Christian can find many words of wisdom and encouragement in the Bible.\u00a0 For example, when faced with ridicule for refusing to patronize bars, strip clubs, and other less than positive places, there’s an unlikely source of support in the usually dire book of Ecclesiastes.\u00a0 It says that “it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart” (7:2).\u00a0 Solomon was saying that as strange as it may seem, it’s better to go to a funeral than a party.\u00a0 At a funeral, seeing death reminds a person that the casket up front will one day be his.\u00a0 The reminder of death forces him to mature and live life appropriately.\u00a0 If he spends all his time at bars and parties, he will never have any motivation to get serious and realize the consequences of this life.\u00a0 He will end up going nowhere, and will be shocked at the end of his life when he realizes he’s accomplished nothing.\u00a0 So while some fighter pilots may frequent “houses of feasting,” there are benefits to avoiding constant partying.\u00a0 There are an infinite number of reassurances like that within the pages of the Bible; finding them requires a little knowledge and constant study.\u00a0 If a Christian is intimidated at the prospect of searching the Bible freehand for words of encouragement or other specific topics, Biblical concordances (which are available electronically) make searches easier, and topical Bible study books are available for virtually every subject.\u00a0 Obviously, scripture memorization is valuable for those times when a Christian may be separated even from his Bible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jesus knew His followers would face hardship.\u00a0 Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His disciples and said, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it\u2026As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:16-18).\u00a0 Jesus attempted to prepare His disciples for the hardship they would experience in John 15:18-19, when He said<\/p>\n
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.\u00a0 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.\u00a0 As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.\u00a0 That is why the world hates you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
As a follower of Christ, a Christian is not of the world, and Jesus has sent him into the world just as He was sent. \u00a0A Christian living a Godly life in the world can receive the same worldly hatred in the form of ridicule and persecution.\u00a0 A Christian in the fighter pilot world lives life against the grain of the people around him; nothing he does will satisfy those around him who want him to conform to their world.\u00a0 When it comes to moral character and strength in principle, there will be nothing that a Christian fighter pilot can do that won’t be criticized.\u00a0 Jesus experienced the same thing, as He explained in Matthew 11:18:<\/p>\n
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
John the Baptist’s Nazirite lifestyle led people to say he was possessed, and when Jesus lived the opposite He was criticized for associating with sinners.\u00a0 John, undoubtedly a holy man whose coming had been prophesied for hundreds of years, could not avoid the disparagement of others.\u00a0 Even the Son of God could not satisfy those who would criticize His life.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Knowing that he will be criticized and accused of wrong, a Christian must strive to live the best life that he can.\u00a0 Peter encouraged his readers to “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).\u00a0 A Christian cannot please men.\u00a0 Instead, he should work for God and live a life honoring to Him.\u00a0 In his writings Paul “urged” his readers “to live a life worthy of the calling [they had] received” not for the sake of their witness, but because it was the least they could do as children of God (Ephesians 4:1).\u00a0 God redeemed man with the blood of His Son even before he was born.\u00a0 A debt that man could never hope to pay was paid by Him who knew no debt.\u00a0 It is for that reason\u2014God’s love\u2014that a Christian should live his life in a way “worthy of the calling.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even in the face of hardship a Christian must work as though he is working for God in whatever place he is; he must do it well, with all his effort, energy, and enthusiasm.\u00a0 If he works with the attitude that God is his supervisor and is in control of his career and destiny, then it is significantly easier to display one of the more obvious traits of a Christian lifestyle:\u00a0 joy.\u00a0 The cynical and sarcastic complaining of soldiers\u2014about everything from the mess hall to the leadership\u2014is legendary.\u00a0 Army leaders have famously said that they know it’s gotten bad when soldiers stop complaining.\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot that has a positive attitude in all circumstances\u2014even when others around him are bitter and negative\u2014stands out.\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot should strive to be the one that demonstrates an uplifted spirit and joy even when times are at their worst.\u00a0 Paul communicated how to do this in his first letter to the Thessalonians when he told them to “be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances” (5:16-18).\u00a0 In Philippians the command was similar:\u00a0 Don’t worry or be negative, but take everything to God.<\/p>\n
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.\u00a0 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Times may be hard, and the Christian may not know why; it is then that he must “trust in the Lord with all [his] heart and lean not on [his] own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot must rely on the constancy of God\u2014then he’ll be able to persevere through the toughest times.\u00a0 The instructions to Christians are clear:\u00a0 pray, be thankful, don’t worry, trust, be joyful.\u00a0 As hard as they sometimes are to apply, following these Biblical commands gives a Christian true joy\u2014something few men have.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is encouraging to remember the plight of a unique Old Testament woman.\u00a0 Her people were conquered and exiled, and she had been commanded to join the harem of their pagan captor.\u00a0 Still, because God was with her, she gained favor with all she met and eventually became the queen.\u00a0 As queen she was able to save her people from the attempts of an evil government official to annihilate them.\u00a0 She could never have known that God intended her for that purpose, and she, too, struggled with how she should act in her position as a Godly woman in an ungodly court.\u00a0 The difficulties of a Christian fighter pilot pale in comparison to the struggles of a God-fearing woman forced to marry a godless king who ruled over her vanquished people.\u00a0 When the young Queen Esther hesitated and wavered, her Uncle Mordecai asked her, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).\u00a0 God may very well have the Christian fighter pilot exactly where He wants him, for a plan that only He knows.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joshua, too, undoubtedly experienced spiritual fatigue of his own as he watched the nation of Israel constantly wander from the very God that had delivered them.\u00a0 I’ve wondered if the man who was Moses’ right hand for decades ever considered resigning after all the failures he saw in the Jewish nation.\u00a0 It surely seemed as though there was little good coming of all the work he did.\u00a0 Still, Joshua was chosen to replace Moses as the leader of the Jewish people.\u00a0 With the nation’s track record Joshua certainly had reservations about what the uncertain future held.\u00a0 As he prepared to lead the Israelite nation over the Jordan River and into the Promised Land, God repeated a simple, reassuring command:<\/p>\n
Be strong and courageous.\u00a0 Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (1:9).\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Being a fighter pilot and a Christian is sometimes hard, but it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be done.\u00a0 Being a fighter pilot is cool, and it can be exactly where God would have a Christian be<\/a>.\u00a0 Spiritual struggles are a challenge that can be overcome.\u00a0 Whether a Christian fighter pilot gets Biblical encouragement or Christian support to help him, or he feels he needs to “take a break” and have a tour outside of the fighter pilot world, he has the available resources to continue to be in a profession he enjoys and not be spiritually overwhelmed.\u00a0 If a fighter pilot doesn’t enjoy his profession, including the flying, then spiritual struggles will only make him more miserable and he may want to consider another career that he would actually enjoy.\u00a0 Ultimately, a Christian fighter pilot should strive to overcome spiritual struggles and take pleasure in an enjoyable line of work.<\/p>\n
Return to<\/em> God and Country<\/a>.
\nGo to<\/em> ChristianFighterPilot.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Christian is to be a soldier “marching as to war,” not searching for a safe harbor in which to drop anchor and rest.\u00a0 He is to be in the world, doing the work God would have him do.\u00a0 That work\u2014and the constant spiritual struggle it presents\u2014can be unbelievably fatiguing.\u00a0 The daily struggle to live the Christian life while nearly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-59","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fighter-pilot","tag-military"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}