Anchor

Recently I have felt like God is invisible. I know God is a spirit and unable to be seen by our human eyes, but lately I can’t say that I have even felt his presence near me. I know the old saying that we can’t see the wind, but we can see the effects of the wind. The same is with God. Although we cannot physically see God, we can feel his impact. Of course, I know God is with me. He promised never to leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). Yet, some days, I feel alone, drifting through life calling out to God, only to be met with perceived silence. I know this feeling is inaccurate, and my God is working for my good even though I cannot see it or feel it. Faith is all that is needed. On my bad days, this feeling of abandonment could send me into a tailspin of doubt and discouragement.

How does a person hold onto faith during these times of doubt? I thought about a play I attended at my parent’s church many years ago. The set was a lovely display, but I realized the designers had to have used large anchors, hidden from view, to hold up the lights on the walls for the stage. I have many anchors in the walls of my house. Some are large, and some are small. I used an appropriate size anchor depending on what I wanted to hang on my walls. The anchors I use for my wall art, also hidden, keep the focus on the decorations. It made me think about what was holding me up. How large is the anchor sustaining me? The anchor for my life is also unseen but vital for my existence.

My thoughts have turned to what my anchor is and how large it is. God is my anchor. Praise Him! He knows how to hold me up exactly, and He is just the right size for whatever I need. Some days I may diminish his size and strength. On days I rely on my strength, I will fall, just like when I did not use the correct size anchor for my curtain rod! Unlike construction anchors, whose size varies, God precisely knows what we need and how much strength we require. I start to falter when I believe God is hidden from me and not supporting me. The truth is that even though I cannot see him, like the anchors in the walls, I can feel his strength holding me up.

Another example of an anchor is the anchor on a boat or a ship. The design of an anchor is to hold a ship steady, secure in bad weather, or keep a vessel from drifting even in still waters. Have you ever looked at the anchor on a large ocean craft? In comparison to the size of the ship, the anchor seems undersized to be effective. Sometimes you cannot see the chain attached to the anchor. An anchor and chain are constructed of materials meant to spend large amounts of time in the water. As we spend time in the world, we must stay connected to God as our anchor. God will anchor and sustain us during rough times or, at times, hold us in place. He has proven himself to stand the test of time. I feel like our anchor is God or things of this world and the leader of this world, Satan.

An anchor and chain work in tandem. As the chain pulls on the anchor, the anchor digs deeper into the seabed. The links you have attached to the anchor matter. You may have attached yourself to a worldly anchor if the composition of your connections is fear, anxiety, doubt, pride, selfishness, greed, or envy. As pressures build, this chain may make a faulty anchor dig deeper and keep you stuck in muck and mire. This anchor is not only holding you down but also pulling you under. If, on the other hand, the structure of your links is fatih, love, joy, peace, patience, selflessness, bible reading, Christian fellowship, and prayer, these links are unbreakable and will hold you in place while being attached to God as your anchor. These links will help sustain you and not pull you under, even during the worst storms. Just like an anchored boat may drift because of the movement of the water, we may drift because of the motion of our world. This second set of links makes up a good combination with God being an anchor, and as this chain pulls, the anchor of God will dig deeper and sustain you no matter what comes your way. I think of the hymn, My Anchor Holds, verse four, “I can feel the anchor fast. As I meet each sudden blast. And the cable, though unseen, bears the heavy strain between; thro’ the storm I safely ride, till the turning of the tide.” (W.C. Martin)

The substance used to construct our chain and anchor matter. Chains compromised of elements of this world may help keep us in place, but it may not be the best place for us, or even worse, the weight of it may pull us under. When we rely on an anchor of this world, it may be like throwing an anchor overboard, and it cannot grab onto the bottom because of the rocky soil. We may think we are secure, but, at best, our hold is precarious. We may have a false sense of security and are only one storm away from being blown away. Anchor in God and the soil of who he says he is. Read the Bible, pray, reflect on the characteristics of God, remember his faithfulness, and listen for the still, small quiet voice of God; these are the things that keep us strong and secure in the rich soil of God.

A construction anchor and a boat anchor hold something in place, one from behind and one from underneath. While performing their intended function, both are unseen, but the effects of the anchor are seen. The artwork will fall without the support, and ships may become adrift without the anchor digging into the seabed. Our anchor is also not seen, but every day we can feel the effect of our God holding us secure, so we don’t drift into storms, run aground on unseen rocks, or fall for lack of support. Several Bible verses that teach of God’s protection and strength are Psalm 32:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Psalm 46:1, and one of my favorite verses, `Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

What happens when you are floating through life, not tied to anything? Maybe you have neglected your time with God or daily devotions. What happens during the slow fade? Before you know it, you could be floating into dangerous territory. You may be about ready to run aground and are still determining how you got there. It is time to stabilize by throwing your cable overboard into the arms of God. God wants to be our anchor in the storm or calm. He can sustain long periods of being in the water as we navigate life. He never gives up, won’t break up under pressure, he never grows tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28). He has promised to sustain us (Isaiah 46:4).

Place your hope and security in God. You will find navigating through this world freedom you did not know existed.