Sometimes we face things in military life that are bound to be difficult. We know going into them that it’s going to be hard, it’s going to take its toll, and perhaps many others will tell us that we may not make it through. Whether it’s a deployment, a dual military marriage, moving our teenagers to another country, or any number of situations we in the military community face… sometimes the odds are just stacked against us.
But does that mean we fold? Of course not. When we look ahead and see something daunting we need to do, we don’t just throw our hands in the air and quit. We aren’t quitters! We’re fighters. We fight for our nation, we fight to keep our families and marriages together, we fight to do what we’re called to do.
When you’re discouraged or when others are telling you that you may not make it through, here are some Bible verses and quotes to remind you of the truth:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Remember, Orville Wright flew an airplane without a pilot’s license. – Gen. James Mattis
Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse. But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. – 2 Timothy 3:13-17 (MSG)
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying “I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher, American author and artist
It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – 2 Samuel 22:33 (the whole chapter is great!)
Put GOD in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.
– Proverbs 16:3 MSG
There shall always be that voice that will tell you how you are wasting your time and ability, how you shall fail, how some tried and failed, why your prevailing slips are indications of your future doom, why you are unworthy to dare, why your background mismatches your vision and aspiration, why your personality misfits your mission and how arduous the errand is. You have a choice. You have your thought. You have what burns in you that tells you how you can make it. Though the world may be interested in your success, it is much interested in your slips and mediocrity as-well. Your vision must keep you in your mission. Dare in wisdom. Dare unrelentingly. Ponder! – Ernest Agyemang Yeboah, Ghanaian author
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him. – Psalm 28:7 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
– Psalm 46:1-5 (again, the whole chapter is amazing)
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NIV)
Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds. – Orison Swett Marden (1848-1924), American author
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11b-13 (NIV)
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. – St. Francis of Assissi
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:26-28 (NIV)
Hi Emileigh! I was referred to your blog by Amanda at Airmantomom.com. Thank you for sharing these incredible quotes and scriptures! As a young woman dating a civilian and fast approaching my enlistment date, I’ve found your blog extremely helpful. Feel free to send me an email if you’d like a friend to chat with during active duty! P.S. Another great quote: “What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hello Faith!
That’s so nice of Amanda; thanks for letting me know. Congratulations on your enlistment! That’s really exciting! Graduating BMT is such an accomplishment and you’ll be able to swap basic training stories with all the old salts for years to come, haha! : D
And that is a GREAT quote! I’m going to save it for the future, thank you.