On Thursday, June 26, 2025, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine held a press briefing to explain how the United States bombed three nuclear sites in Iran. The general’s description of the planning and execution of Operation Midnight Hammer was fascinating. He detailed how the sites were selected, the training involved to prepare for such a mission, and the anticipated impact of the massive 30,000lb GBU-57 bombs. Throughout the years, I’ve listened to multiple briefings, but I don’t recall ever hearing one so personal and thorough.
One portion of his comments, though, really intrigued me. General Caine explained that, in 2009, a Defense Threat Reduction Agency officer was assigned to study the construction of Iran’s nuclear facility in Fordo. Shortly after the initial officer was assigned this task, a second person was added to assist. Together, they studied satellite images, highly classified documents, geology, construction, the location of vent shafts, and electrical systems. Their job was to know the facility “inside and out.” General Caine said these men spent so much time studying Fordo they literally dreamt about it.
As they studied the construction of Fordo, the officers quickly realized the United States didn’t have a weapon strong enough to eliminate the deeply buried nuclear site. So, these two men assisted with the development of GBU-57, also known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This bomb is the largest non-nuclear weapon in the United States arsenal, and it’s specifically designed to destroy deeply buried and hardened targets.
Why did this portion of the story intrigue me? For more than 15 years, these two officers went to work every day and invested their lives in an assignment larger than themselves. They were not allowed to speak of their work to their wives, families or friends. Although they certainly knew why they were studying Fordo, they did not know when or even if their work would ever be utilized.
Did they ever wonder if their work was in vain? Did they ever wonder if they had wasted 15 years of their lives? I’m not sure. But I’m confident that when the mission was engaged and the bombs were being loaded (the very bombs they helped design), all their time, effort and sacrifice were worth it. Surely the officers felt great pride knowing their life’s work made the mission possible.
As I think about the call to ministry, we don’t always know how God uses our faithfulness. At times, especially through the difficult seasons, it may seem as though we labor in vain. It may seem like the soil is perpetually hardened and dry. You may even wonder internally, “Am I wasting my time?”
We need to remember that our assignment – our calling – is much larger than ourselves. In ministry, we are part of God’s great redemptive story for all of humanity. God may very well allow us to see the fruit of our labor next week, it might take 15 years, or we may learn of it one day in glory. Regardless, our aim must be to trust the One who called us and remain faithful to the mission.