On this federal holiday set aside to honor those who have served in our armed forces, it seems appropriate to spend a few moments focusing on some biblical principles that are foundational to a Christian worldview on vocation that may help them out with some of their greatest challenges.

For those who are serving now

I served on active duty for just over 20 years. Probably the biggest challenge that my fellow service members and I had to deal with is in trusting God in new assignments. Here was my experience. After about one year at my first duty station, I showed up one day and was told I was on orders to report to the Republic of Korea for a one-year unaccompanied tour (without my family). As a Christian, there were a few things I had to keep in mind as I prepared for this transfer.

A Christian in the military needs to understand the sovereignty of God, that He is in always in control. He is an all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, and faithful God. If your next assignment is in the hands of someone in Fort Knox, Kentucky, you must know that God has you in His bigger hands. He knows where you need to go, what you need to do, who you need to serve with, and when is the right time that He needs you and your family to be there to fulfill His purposes. 

(I invite you to read an article I wrote a while back that was posted on the IFWE blog here.)

My story would be of little value to Christians in the military if not supported by Scripture. How can you know that you can trust God in every new assignment throughout your career and beyond? 

Joseph found himself in places that he did not plan to go. However, God had it planned all along.  In Gen. 45:7–8, Joseph concludes that despite what his brothers did to him, it is not man who causes things to happen to us but God. Later, we read in Isaiah that “we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isa. 64:8). God sovereignly works in the circumstances and hearts of His people to prepare them to do His work and to mold them as He desires to fulfill His purposes. 

A second major challenge that our military personnel have to deal with is learning how to submit to their unit leadership, especially when they are uncaring, incompetent, or less than trustworthy. 

I asked two captains that work for me how they did that as Christ-followers. One of them said that by serving under a bad leader, he learned what not to do. He stated that his faith in Jesus reminded him that there was something greater down the road, and that God would work it out for His good (Rom. 8:28). The other officer told me that she tried hard to focus on doing everything as unto the Lord and not for men (Col. 3:23- 24), and that she was glad to be able to be light in a dark place.

The third major challenge that our U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines face is how to find meaning and purpose in their day-to-day job. That was something that I struggled with as well.

For my first two years as a nuclear, biological, chemical operations specialist, I felt a lot of guilt. I had felt called to serve God in vocational ministry when I was in college. I had done all I could do to pursue ministry as a profession, but because my financial circumstances impeded my progress, that door was closed. I had to find a secular job. I truly felt that I was a second-class Christian.

Then in 1989, while serving my first of two unaccompanied tours in Korea, I read a life-changing book entitled Your Work Matters to God by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks. They tore apart the myth of sacred versus secular, and they clearly explained to me the intrinsic and instrumental value of everyday work. I began to see how God could use me to glorify Him wherever I worked.

For those who have served in the past

Those who have served honorably and are beginning to transition to the civilian sector or have already done so have some unique challenges in finding employment in the outside world. I see two major struggles with those who have spent most of their adult life serving in the military. There is a third challenge I would like to address at the end, regarding their contributions towards peace.

First, it may be difficult for some veterans of our armed forces to see how God could use their military experience in their next career. Some military occupational specialties, especially those that fall under the category of combat arms: infantry, armor, field artillery, etc., do not necessarily have a similar civilian position that they can seamlessly transition into. However, I want to remind them that many of the skills, attitudes, values, and experiences that God graciously provided them throughout their military career are easily transferable, and would make them an asset to any employer: intangible things such as discipline, resilience, loyalty, respect, and selfless service.

A second challenge our veterans face is that when they do find a job, they may need to adapt to a radically different work type of work environment. Some aspects of serving in the military are not found in the civilian sector. They may stand out among their peers, which may or may not be appreciated. There may not be the same sense of purpose that comes with accomplishing a mission. My word of encouragement to them is that perhaps they are there to improve the organization. God may have placed them in for such a time as this. He can work through them to make a difference.

I know that those who served during our nation’s conflicts often struggle to acknowledge their role in maintaining peace.  They may not always understand or see the total impact that the work they did as they served actually participated in God’s work to bring peace (or shalom) into this world. 

For our older veterans (I am in that category myself), I have a word.  I want you to remember that God used each and every one of you, as His coworker, no matter what branch you were a member of, where you were assigned, or what your military occupational specialty was, that He was present with you whether you realized it or not.  As a result, your work made a real difference for all of us.

I trust that these words from a fellow veteran will encourage my brothers and sisters in arms to remember that God is with them.  He will provide; He will lead; He has good plans for His own.

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband, grandfather, blogger, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession. With degrees in mathematics and biblical studies, his career spans teaching, youth ministry, military service, and civilian work at Fort Leonard Wood. He writes to help others experience God’s presence and integrate faith at work. His articles appear in military journals and faith-based platforms including The Gospel Coalition, Made to Flourish, and the Center for Faith & Work.

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