May 25 – Building a New Life After War

 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (NIV)

SITREP:
What does it take for a warrior to believe he’s not bound to the man he was before? You are not bound to your past. In Christ, you are made new—with a fresh start and a life filled with purpose.

Paul wrote this to the believers in Corinth, a rough-around-the-edges group of people who didn’t have the cleanest resumes. They were former idol worshipers, adulterers, thieves, drunkards—men and women carrying serious baggage. Paul knew something about that himself. He wasn’t just some preacher—he had blood on his hands. He hunted Christians before he became one. But through the power of Christ, his story was rewritten.

This verse isn’t about making bad people better. It’s about making dead people alive. It doesn’t offer a second chance—it offers a brand-new identity. One where the past no longer has the final word.

Breaking Down the Verse:

• “If anyone is in Christ…” – This isn’t limited to a select few. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what was done to you. If you belong to Christ, this promise is yours.
• “The new creation has come…” – Not pending. Not someday. If you’re in Christ, it’s already happened. You’re not in transition—you’ve been transformed.
• “The old has gone…” – That guilt you can’t shake? That shame that stalks you? God doesn’t see it anymore. He sees His Son in you.
• “The new is here!” – This is a declaration, not a wish. You’ve been reassigned, redefined, and reborn.

How This Reclaims a Soldier’s Faith:

Combat changes people. It toughens the body and leaves its mark on the soul. You’ve been through things others wouldn’t understand unless they stood beside you in the dirt. And maybe, like many warriors, you’ve asked yourself:

• Can I be forgiven for what I had to do?
• Can I be whole again after all I’ve seen?
• Can someone like me really be used by God?

Here’s your answer: Yes.

• The man who made the call under fire? Forgiven.
• The soul that came back tired, angry, and uncertain? Restored.
• The identity you buried under guilt or regret? Replaced with one God Himself designed.

You might remember the details of your past, but in Christ, your past doesn’t get to define you anymore. Your scars might remain, but now they tell a different story—a story of grace.

Being made new doesn’t erase your experience—it redeems it. God doesn't waste pain. He turns warriors into witnesses. Soldiers into servants. He gives your journey purpose beyond survival.

ENDEX:
You are not who you were. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is your battlefield declaration. In Christ, the old has died—and the new has fully arrived. You’re not dragging a broken identity forward anymore. You’re walking in new orders, with a new name, and a new mission.

The slate is clean. The past is buried. The new has come.

AAR (After Action Review):
Have you experienced a shift in identity since coming to faith—one that changed how you saw your past, your purpose, or your future? Share that transformation. Your story could help another warrior realize they don’t have to stay stuck in who they were. They've already been made new.

Make your voice count—share what you’ve lived.

Share your experiences in the comments below. Your words could encourage someone else walking a similar path.

If you're comfortable, include as much or as little personal detail as you’d like. We suggest:

• Name
• Veteran, Retired, Family Member etc.
• Service Branch
• Years of Service (or Deployment Dates and Locations)

Every story matters—and yours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.