An Anchor for Our Souls

On a day like any other day, you get out of bed, get dressed, have breakfast, and perhaps a cup of coffee. Maybe you check your emails (but hopefully you’ve read your Bible before that).

And then it happens. Out of the blue, you get that phone call from a police officer or from a friend delivering bad news. Or you find a note on the kitchen counter from your spouse saying they want out of the marriage.

Maybe you notice a new pain in your body that you hadn’t noticed before. Or you get or a call from your doctor’s office saying they want to do more tests.

A crisis hits fast, it hits hard, and it takes no prisoners. It can even alter the course of your life dramatically. For many of us affected by the pandemic, this is no overstatement.

Pain has knocked on your front door, moved in without your permission, and refuses to leave. In fact, you wouldn’t even wish it on your worst enemy, yet it’s happening to you. You’re not alone. It happened to men and women of the Bible and even Jesus Himself.

For example, Job’s world came crashing down on him in a single day. Joseph’s brothers betrayed him which changed the course of his life. And one of Jesus’ own friends even betrayed Him.

Maybe you feel as though you’re struggling against an unexpected, overpowering storm, and your little boat is starting to capsize. Maybe you’re even beginning to lose hope.

The Bible describes hope as an anchor: “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary” (Hebrews 6:19 NLT).

We need this hope because I can tell you that when you’re going through a hardship, pious platitudes won’t help you. The thing that will help you is the Word of God.