In recent days, I found myself returning to a familiar verse for peace, comfort, and hope:
“We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19, HCSB)
My soul is fragile these days as it finds itself in the midst of worldly turmoil and unrest. So much is changing and shifting; and to be honest, I don’t do well with change.
It’s in the midst of waves tossing us about that we need to throw out the Anchor so our souls remain steady.
As I sat thinking about our boating days, the analogy of anchors became clearer to my fragile soul. The boat represents our lives and our souls, that part of us that thinks and feels and processes, is inside the boat.
The purpose of the anchor is to keep the boat safe because it has value, and all on the boat is worth saving. Jesus cares about our souls. He knows they are fragile and get wounded easily.
I’m reminded of a certain day in which the disciples got in a boat with Jesus. He says to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake” (Luke 8:22, NKJV). They pile in and push out to sea and then the windstorm comes.
It is then they panic and are filled with fear.
Now in their defense, this was no ordinary storm and the boat was filling with water. Their fear is real and with reason.
But they forgot what Jesus had said – “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake”. He indicated they were going to get through the storm and make it to the other side.
A few chapters later in the same Gospel of Luke, Jesus reminds them that they “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). When we lose heart, we lose the will to persevere, we lose hope.
Our lives need to secured to the anchor of God’s Word, for His Word will never fail us. Jesus told us we will have hard and difficult days, but He also promised we would overcome.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33, NLT)
Keep praying.
Take heart and remain hopeful.Â
Stay anchored.
Today I am joining …
My daughter-in-law has a tiny anchor tattooed on her shoulder for exactly this reason – to remind her of the verse from Hebrews. I am going to share this post with her. Thank you!
I love the very thought of this tattoo!
I relate to this so much, Joanne. My soul feels very fragile these past few months. I need our anchor to keep my heart hopeful and active.
Lisa, we can rest in the assurance that He WILL tend to our souls. {{hugs}}