It was an awesome Veterans Day event. A church in the Atlanta area had invited me to speak at its annual Veterans Day luncheon. Nearly 400 were in attendance. The church’s Christian school students all lined up as the veterans were escorted into the fellowship hall. They held flags and signs thanking the veterans for their service. There were more than a few of us old guys with tears in our eyes.

I shared part of my story about my time in Vietnam, the loss of friends, and the guilt I carried for so many years for surviving. I shared about the months in the hospital while I recovered from my wounds that were supposed to be fatal but for God’s grace. Then I reminded the vets that our oath of enlistment doesn’t have an expiration date. The country needs them now more than ever to tell the younger generation the meaning of sacrifice and service.

After the lunch, many simply wanted to say, “Thanks for coming.” However, I saw a man around my age patiently waiting to speak to me. He shared that he had not served in Vietnam because the draft board rejected him for medical reasons. I could sense the bitterness in his voice about not being able to serve. He told me he goes to every veterans breakfast he can find and attends this church’s luncheon every year.

He was carrying a load of guilt God never intended for him to carry. I quoted my favorite philosopher, Erma Bombeck (a journalist known for her sense of humor), who said, “Guilt is the gift that keeps on giving!” I said it was obvious that Vietnam was never God’s plan for his life; he was carrying a weight of guilt that was robbing him of the joy the Lord had for him.

I reminded him of Romans 8:1: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He just stood there looking at me and asked if those words of hope were real. I assured him they were. He allowed me to pray for him. I simply asked the Lord to lift the false accusation of guilt that the enemy of our soul had put upon him for so many years.

After I prayed, he simply said, “I’ve never felt such hope in my life.” I said he was the only person I prayed for out of all those in attendance. I encouraged him that God had arranged the entire event just for him so he could be free from the condemnation of the devil. He left with a huge smile on his face and a ton of guilt laid aside.

Let’s face it: All of us have blown it at times in our lives. We’ve done things we have regretted. But to carry that guilt around is pointless. This man went to veterans events for years as if by doing so, he could atone for something he had no control over. We can never work hard enough to pay the price for our sins. Jesus already paid the price for every sin we have ever committed. We simply need to accept the free gift of God by faith. He will do the rest.

Don’t let the enemy of your soul steal the joy you can have every day. Not because we are good (we’re not), but because He is good — all the time!

Something to be grateful for!
Semper Fidelis