We hope you enjoy this re-post from March 30, 2015. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 2:3, Amplified Bible (AMP)

I have never served in the military, but I have a high regard for those who have. In talking with many friends and family members who have served, one thing is clear: boot camp is designed to break you down so that you might be molded into a soldier.

Boot camp certainly trains your body to be a soldier. But, just as importantly – maybe even more importantly – it trains your mind to be a soldier. In order for people to become effective soldiers, they must learn to take orders, they must learn to sacrifice self for the good of their brethren, and they must learn to persist under the greatest of pressures. I daresay that most people enter boot camp lacking one or more of these qualities, but by the time boot camp is over, most of them possess them. It is through the painful process of boot camp that soldiers’ poor character traits are beaten down, and once that is done, the military can begin to instill in their recruits the character traits necessary to defend a nation.

God must do the same with us in order to mold us into soldiers for Him. Our individual boot camps will take different shapes, sizes, and lengths, but if we commit to serving the Lord, we will have them. Peter’s boot camp occurred during the week of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. It was during this time that Peter came to realize that he wasn’t strong enough, using human will power, to serve the Lord. He learned that he needed God’s supernatural enabling in order to fight the good fight of faith, and he learned this because the Lord, through the threat of persecution and death, forced Peter to come face to face with his own inadequacies. It was only by learning how weak he really was – and how strong God really is – that Peter became supernaturally ready to take orders, to sacrifice self for the good of the brethren, and to persist under the greatest of pressures.

Are you going through spiritual boot camp right now? If so, I know it’s hard. But, hang in there. God is purposefully molding you into a soldier whom He can use in a tremendous way. Patiently and obediently wait upon Him to complete His work; you’ll be glad you did.