Boot Camp

Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” ~NLT
 
I remember when I went to ‘boot camp’ at Fort Jackson. I never knew what I was in for. There was about ten weeks of serious training. Three phases divided by the colors, Red, White, and Blue.  The first phase seemed the hardest because I was so out of shape. Not only that but the world as I knew it stopped. No family, no entertainment, and no freedom. I had to answer to four soldiers in that famous ‘drill’ hat daily.
 
A lot of running, exercises, yelling, sweat and tears. This included training us to be ‘dress right dress’. In other words, we all had to move together with precision when we marched. This took a lot of training and practice. Laying down to go to sleep at the end of the day was the easiest part of the process. We carried the red flag with us, so everyone knew we were on our first phase. We were new. I would watch those platoons with the white flags and said, “I’ll be there one day.”
 
Phase two began and we carried that white flag. At this point we were in better shape, so the running and exercises weren’t as bad anymore. This was the time I was beginning to miss home. In my heart though, I knew my training wasn’t complete, so I had to push through.
 
Phase three, the blue flag! We were headed towards our completion. Working out, running, pushups, sit-ups, all this seemed routine now. I had gone from a size 48 waist to a 31. I was embracing my training because I had never done anything like this before in my life.  I had never put myself in a position where authority figures like the drill sergeants would tell me what to do and when to do it, for ten weeks. I didn’t quit. I didn’t get angered, I hung in there and made it through.
 
I allowed myself to be disciplined. I realized that if I hadn’t been pushed by the ‘drills’, I would have never accomplished what I had. I never would have learned what I did, and I never would have become the man I am today. When I allowed myself to be disciplined, I learned how to discipline myself.
 
When it comes to the Word of God, we must listen to our Father’s direction. But unlike the Drill Sergeants, God is not going to yell at us. God will not force us. If we don’t learn to allow discipline within ourselves in the trials we go through, we will not know how to discipline ourselves and be obedient in God’s will for our lives.
 
I didn’t enjoy the Drill Sergeants yelling at me. I didn’t enjoy waking every morning to the sound of reveille, jumping out of bed, and running five to ten miles.  But that discipline created the best ‘me’ I could be. Becoming a good Christian living in the ways of the Lord takes discipline, practice and spiritual training. And when that journey is complete, you will receive the “…peaceful harvest of right living…” that is given to those “…who are trained…” in God’s will and way.
 
May God bless and keep you as you continue your walk in Jesus’ name.
 
Amen 

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