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Victory in the resolve to keep going 

Army PhotoThrough a chance meeting with a determined trainee soldier, Ruth Tong finds hope and encouragement to keep persevering through difficult spiritual times.   

There was a song I remember being played on the radio on Sunday afternoons from which a line was “the road is long with many a winding turn” and I guess it was describing the journey that is a life.

When life is good it can feel like it speeds up and when it is tough it can seem to drag on forever.

On my flight back from Ireland yesterday I was sitting beside a guy, a trainee soldier. He was telling me that he was not just physically but mentally being put through his paces at boot camp and how every time he got bawled out by his Commanding Officer it just strengthened his resolve to improve.

He clearly loved what he was doing! But he told me that 40%-50% of the guys who start out, drop out before the end of training. Only those who wanted their wings to the point of blood, sweat and tears were worthy of them.

His dedication was inspiring... it got me thinking though, about going the distance and finishing boot camp in a spiritual sense.

If you feel like you're a ''soul-dier'' in training can I encourage you today to stick at it... It may not feel like you're flying through with great finesse - boot camp is messy, exhausting and a steep learning curve. In boot camp you don't get to choose your comrades, and learning basic life skills (like just getting along with people) can be emotionally very difficult.

But the very fact you're still here, still trying, still working out your salvation with fear and trembling means you are victorious regardless of how things appear. We wouldn't send our troops into battle ill prepared and nor does our loving Father. If you're going through a pressing time be encouraged - God is training you for something strategic and useful for His kingdom...

You can do it keep taking one step at a time...
 


javascript:linkToImage(532537)Ruth Tong is the Director of Women’s Ministries at Downham Market Christian Fellowship and the author of ‘Love Drops from Heaven’.  Ruth regularly blogs at http://lovedropsfromheaven.blogspot.co.uk

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