In the Trenches

Lately I have been hearing our soldiers talk a lot about the camaraderie that develops on the battlefield. They say that the friendships that develop in war are like none other. While I have never been a member of the armed services, I think I can relate at least a little...being in a church that is very active I can attest that after you have marched alongside people, been arrested with them, prayed with them over their trials, illnesses, & funerals, loaned them 5 bucks just to make it for the next three days until payday, knowing next week it might be you asking...when you have encouraged them when they were on their last leg, and a few months later they returned the favor for you... to say a bond develops would be an understatement. Relationships formed in the trenches are like none other. This is something people who do not go to church will never experience or understand. This is something an arm chair quarterback cannot relate to.
The church for sure has its issues, but anyone can quit, walk out, take their marbles and go home, sit in the corner and lick their wounds, etc... but how much courage does that take? Anyone can sit on the sidelines and criticize the plays of others, but where is your game? I have had my issues with church to be sure. So why don't I walk away? For the same reason I didn't move to Switzerland after the last election, I prefer to stay and work for change where it is needed. Also I have learned that everything isn't instant...God takes His time to work things out, and usually while He is working out something in my situation He simultaneously is working out something in me! But if I walk out, I will never have the pleasure of seeing the end result of patient faith either in me or my circumstances.