I remember watching a program on the Military Channel about WWII. They mentioned something about many of the Japanese soldiers being very undisciplined and disobedient. This was rather unexpected, because one might readily think of the staunchly resistant fighting force that insisted on fighting for their country, even in the face of catastrophic death tolls and industrial incapability. This, in fact, was the very cause of the disobedience. The firm adherence to the idea of the ultimate sacrifice for their country was that motivation for much of the disobedience of the soldiers. Many of them would be resentful at, or even outright disobey orders given by commanders that didn't seem patriotic enough. Driven by an adamant desire to give all for his homeland, many a soldier did what he thought was the most patriotic, the most courageous, and the most glorious thing to do. Commanders would have found themselves in dire straits for soldiers who would actually obey orders and be patient enough to partake in a move that might have mounted to an effective counterattack. While this alone cannot account totally for Japan's defeat, it certainly didn't help the nation as it struggled alone against the Allies. And it also teaches us a lesson, as well.

Isn't it easy to get frustrated and impatient when God Himself is doing something we didn't exactly have in mind? We read books and hear testimonies about great moves of God in places everywhere, and we wonder why we can't do things like that. No, we do more than wonder; we get impatient and resentful. But if only we could see through the eyes of the Commander who has seen every battlefield, spiritual and physical, since the dawn of time and before! If onyl we could trust in His battleplan.Waiting is long, and sanctification is grueling, while we ask questions like ""God, don't You want people to be saved?? Why are we wasting time??" But time is nothing to God, and He will act in His perfect time! Oh, but that we could truly trust in His plan, how much time we would save, not having to think of our own crazy shenanigans to save the day. God, give us patience and understanding to wait on You!