Now that President Obama has declared the end of "formal" (it is not really over) combat operations in Iraq, many of us ask the question "Was it worth it?" Was all the bloodshed, the lives of our soldiers and the lives of the Iraquis killed in the midst of combat, worth it? This question will initiate lots of debate. One side will say that it is worth it because a dictator who killed many has been overthrown. The other side will say it is not worth it because there were no weapons of mass destruction found.

     Perhaps, it is more fruitful to ask the question, was America's motives right for going to war? In the end, we could not completely control the results of our decisions. However, we can examine our hearts to see if our heart is in line with the heart of the loving God who is sovereign over creation. We are all guided by our hearts, our values and concerns. Some in the administration may have been driven with compassion for the oppressed, which is in line with God's heart. Some in the administration may have been motivated by protecting American interests in oil. Some really believed that there were weapons of mass destruction. Motivations, good and bad, coalesced and created the fervor for war. When many people are involved, there will also be multiple motivations. That is why scriptures command us to pray for our leaders. We pray that the motives behind their actions may spring from a heart whose concern is in line with God's concerns. As an aside, some may say that war is always wrong, but I believe that violence is sometimes necessary.

     After high school, I joined the Marine Corps. As I look back, I see that my motivation was to be able to say that I went through the hardest boot camp, and behind it was a heart obsessed with making myself look tough. I could evaluate this decision as wrong because it is not in line with God's heart. However, it is also in the Marine Corps that I became closer to Jesus, which is of infinite worth and God's desire for all. Therefore, I could look back and say that joining the Marine Corps was worth it. I was motivated for wrong reasons, but God made it result in good.

     The soldiers who gave up their lives could be seen as victims of bad motivations from our leaders. However, because of the sacrifice of our soldiers, some Iraquis can now live without the threat of being gassed. Some Iraquis can now sleep at night knowing that the government will not barge in their door and take their loved ones. I know there were bad results, including more persecution of Christians. The persecution may be intended to eliminate the light of Jesus from Iraq, but God is sovereign and he can make this persecution result in the light of Jesus even shining brighter in Iraq.