"Walk with Me in holy trust, responding to My initiatives rather than trying to make things fit your plans. I died to set you free, and that includes freedom from compulsive planning. When your mind spins with a multitude of thoughts, you cannot hear My voice. A mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control. Turn from this idolatry back to Me. Listen to Me and live abundantly!"
The Weight That Holds Us Steady
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, ”
Hebrews 6:19a (NKJV)
Recently, my husband and I went on a cruise for our 25th anniversary. As we rested on the balcony, watching the waves go by, I caught myself imagining what would happen if the ocean decided to get unruly.
The ship would have no choice but to drop anchor. Then the waves may not stop, but they would lose their power to push us off course. We would be held steady by something heavy, strong, and unseen.
That image immediately reminded me of Hebrews 6:19a: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
If you think about it, anchors don’t get much credit. They’re covered beneath the waterline, doing the quiet work of keeping everything grounded. By definition, an anchor is a heavy object attached to a cable or chain and used to moor a ship, fixing it firmly and securely in one place. Without that secure attachment, a ship does not stay put. It drifts.
We tend to drift in our own way, don't we? With a few hard hits, disappointments we didn’t see coming, or unanswered prayers … our souls loosen their grip on God. It’s not that we stop believing in Him, but the waves of life wear us out.
Drifting never announces itself; it just happens quietly and slowly. On the ship’s deck that day, it was like I heard a whisper in my heart: Are you drifting?
God invited me to pause long enough to reflect on what my soul had attached itself to for stability and whether that mooring point was actually strong enough to hold me during life’s storms. I had to admit that after facing a series of personal setbacks, my faith was wavering. I felt disconnected and was drifting without direction.
As I searched the Scriptures, I also came across Psalm 62:5, and it hit me like holy correction: “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him” (CSB). This truth recentered me and made me thankful for the hope I have in Christ, knowing my faith is secure in the God who is always faithful.
He is the One who holds us steady when circumstances feel unfair, unfinished, or overwhelming. Friend, when life is storm-tossed, when emotions get out of control, when fear or doubt shows up, when insecurity starts rearing its head, this is your reminder and mine: Hope in Christ.
We don’t get to escape the waves, but we do get to choose where we anchor. Christ is steady, trustworthy, and unshaken. Rest your weight there. He is strong enough to hold you.
Lord, when life feels unsteady, teach us to anchor our souls in You. Remind us that hope in Christ is stronger than any storm. Strengthen our faith, settle our fears, and keep us close. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Dr. Avril Occilien-Similien
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Turn To The Lord
๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ:
“๐ฟ๐๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ก ๐กโ๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐.”
- Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)
- Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)
๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
This verse is written by the Prophet Jeremiah during the siege and destruction
of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Jeremiah had spent most of his life attempting
to turn the hearts of the Israelites back to God and had been beaten, mocked,
abused in all sorts of manners and kicked out of the temple as well. Yet such
is his heart for his people and for the Lord that he willingly endured all of
that and continued to cry out to the Lord to bring them back to Him. This is
why he was known as the weeping prophet. If ever there was a great example of
prayer for God to change the hearts of people, the book of Jeremiah and
Lamentations are it. However, they are also a great example of how the Lord
works, or is hindered to work, in our lives because of the rules He places upon
Himself. Have you ever wondered why He doesn’t just stop everything and change
everyone’s hearts and minds to do what He wants so that this world would truly
be on earth as it is in heaven? The answer to that question is because love
without free will isn’t love, it is control. God has always allowed free will,
even with the angels when one third of heaven chose to follow Lucifer (Satan)
instead of Him. Adam and Eve only had one rule in the garden; “But you must not
eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it
you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). Today and ever since the Garden, we
have had the ability to choose who we will follow, God or the world. That is
what makes today’s verse so interesting. Jeremiah is crying out to the
Israelites to examine their ways and test them against what the Lord says so
they can remove those things from their lives that are hurting them and their
relationship with the Lord. When they are willing to do so, it is then that
they will be able to return to the Lord. If that sounds familiar to you, it
should. Today we call that the Sinner’s Prayer. The truth is that our
relationship with the Lord has never been about control, He could have had that
any time He wanted to. No, instead it is about trusting Him to help us to not
hurt ourselves and each other and understanding that His love is the greatest
thing we could ever have. He still wants us to examine our ways and test them
today, weeding out those things that will keep us from Him. What will you find?
๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
It seems like such a simple thing and yet is so hard to do on our own. This is
why Jesus told us that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them.
(John 6:44) Not that God is picking and choosing, but rather it is because we
can’t do it on our own, so He helps us. Unfortunately, not all of us will.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ:
Father, I ask You to draw me to You in all areas of my life and help me to
shine Your light in the darkness of this world so that others may see Your
grace and love. In Jesus’ Holy and Mighty Name, Amen.
- Chuck Glover
Provided by "All About God"