I once read somewhere that hope is an important element of life; with it, we're able to keep moving forward. This made me question where hope comes from. Where could I find hope to keep me going? I was confused for a while about life, questioning my existence, and I knew there had to be something, someone greater than life itself to guide me, to let me invest all my faith and trust in.
I know I'm not perfect and I often felt that I needed some sort of anchor to stop me from wandering off. I needed to be kicked back in line. An anchor is used to attach ships to the bottom at a specific point. It stops the ship from drifting with the tide and protects it when there is a strong wind. The purpose of the anchor is to hold the boat so that it faces into the wind and prevents it from toppling over. During a storm, the anchor is laid out and trails behind the ship to prevent it from turning side on.
Throughout life, you will be challenged with many hardships. Similar to the boat, you need a firm anchorage to stop you from drifting with the tide or sinking in a storm. Drifting on the tide is nearly unnoticeable. One moment everything is nice and dandy, secure and safe, but before you know it, you've drifted away from where you were.
Temptations cross your path, and you start to bend the rules to rationalise your actions. You slowly shift away from right living. Each small drift may seem insignificant, but collectively it has a huge impact on your life. The temptations may come from friends or family, so you must have a strong anchor to resist the pressure to validate and compromise your standards.
Storms are those times in your life when unexpected and tragic events occur. Without a firm anchor and hope for the future, you're incapable of riding out the storm. You feel depressed, irritated, jealous, bitter, resentful, and vindictive. These are circumstances beyond your control, real catastrophes or critical situations. Tough times never last, but tough people do.
While the ship has an anchor, I have God. My hope is anchored in God, because through Him I can ride the storms of life, the unpredictable gusts, the changing wind direction, and the flow of life. "But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine." Psalm 33:18-19.
2 comments:
That's one of my fave analogies of the Christian life. I remember writing that down in a campus yearbook in 2004.
Having feelings of frustrations, depression & anger are necessarily bad in & of itself. Sometimes life just sucks & it's right to feel those things. But ultimately, like you said, it's what you hope for in the end that gets you through it.
Let's ride the storm together! :)
ridem' cowgirl! woooOOoo!!
Post a Comment