The Cost of Freedom

The military is a necessary institution because of the sinful state of the world. That is not something to be celebrated; it should be mourned. It is tragic. However, the men and women who voluntarily subject themselves to deep wounds by sacrificing so much to keep us safe should be honored. Unfortunately, we do not honor them as we should; we weaponize them and then do nothing to heal their soul after they have served their purpose. Most eighteen-year-olds who go into the armed forces are more than willing to sacrifice their humanity, their love, and their goodness to become the courageous men we need them to be. That is a considerable, but necessary, sacrifice that causes deep wounds in the soul. It is a sacrifice because people naturally crave goodness, but we also suffer from a desire for fame and glory. The military uses this conflict to its advantage by weaponizing pride. They fuel the lust for glory and suppress the urge for goodness. Young men are trained to kill, but they are also programmed to feel a sense of satisfaction about it. Therein lies the problem. The young men become eager to use their newfound skills to destroy their fellow man. We intentionally program men to go against every natural inclination of love for the sake of winning our nation’s wars. Not every veteran's experience was the same, but the warrior’s PTSD is not always caused by what he has done. It can also be deeply rooted in who he became: a version of himself that craved justice to the point he was incapable of mercy.

It is necessary to maintain a standing military, but we can do so without traumatizing those who serve by rethinking the way we train, utilize, and reintegrate them into society. We must start by saying, “We are going to ask you to wound your soul for our safety and security. We thank you for your sacrifice, and when you are finished, we will help to heal those wounds in every way possible.” With all love and respect, thank a veteran for their service and pray for the opportunity to introduce them to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Great Physician of Souls and able to heal the deepest of wounds.

If you or someone you know is a veteran who is struggling to overcome mental illness, rage, bitterness, resentment, addiction, or hopelessness, please contact us.

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