Just as a greater awareness of war changes one's perspective about "Friends" and hopefully causes him to spend his time more fruitfully, so a greater awareness of war forces one to realize the triviality of studying for non-Christian reasons and thus challenges him or her to study for better ones.

Usually one studies to get a better job, to gain prestige in society, or to live more comfortably in the long run. What war does is rob a person of these motivations because these motivations are all based on the assumption that there will be a tomorrow on earth to enjoy a good paying job, the accolades of society, the luxuries of the world. If there is no tomorrow to enjoy these things as war makes a higher probability, then why study? That is the great benefit of war. It undercuts ungodly motivations and forces one to ask this question which leaves only the Christian answer.

We study because it pleases God when we offer our self-discipline, diligence, and best efforts to Him. Just as the widow pleased God when she offered the insignificant mite (which to the world amounted to nothing in the same way studying during war amounts to nothing for those with worldly motivations), so the believer can please God when he offers all he has to the Lord. And should the student die, he dies rewarded in the life after even if he cannot reap the benefits during his time on earth.

What is important is that the person give to God what he has as he is: just as the father is so pleased to receive a cheap cardboard paper card made by his little girl for his birthday, nothing pleases God more than when we give to Him what we have as we are - whether as student, as janitor, as carpenter, or as doctor. None are expected to give more than their capacity, but neither should they give less. The important thing is that we give to Him to please Him.

Ironically, war gives us a more assured sense of reward for our labors. Whereas the ungodly work diligently for later reward relying upon the probabilities and odds that he or she will not die or become crippled any time soon, the godly may work diligently relying upon the absolute certainty that he or she will be rewarded even after the grave.

See also Simone Weil's excellent essay on this subject.