The Anchor Holds

SET THE ANCHOR

Have you ever felt like your life was just smooth sailing, things were going good, the waters were calm, and the skies bright blue? Suddenly storm clouds gather, the sky darkens, the torrential rains burst forth and the winds boisterously blows in a major storm!  Oh such damage!  Now you feel like a ship without a sail.  It disrupts your course of direction, your vision becomes blurred and you're left drifting at sea and asking, "What do I do now?"   Set The Anchor!!

The "storms of life" are going to come.  There is a reason for every storm.  A change in course or direction brought on by a storm does not mean you're now lost at sea, no matter how bad the raging seas are beating against the vessel.  God promises us that He will never leave us.  He is with us always, even during the storms of life.  He keeps His promises, gave His Word and can't break it.  There is still hope!  It's the anchor of our soul that will keep us safe and secure in the midst of any storm.  That Hope is our unbreakable spiritual lifeline reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God. 

"When we set our anchor in the Lord, we will not be carried away by the storms that threaten to overtake us." -- Stormie Omartian

HOPE - The Anchor of our Soul

It can be difficult at times to really trust God when we are IN the storm but if we really truly believe that God loves us so much and goes through the hurt with us, then we can't help but know that He also doesn't like seeing us have to deal with situations that bring us pain.  He wants us to bring all our hurts to Him so that He is able to work all things out for the good.  This is where "trusting Him with all our heart" comes in.  We just have to trust Him no matter how fierce the storm looks.  Whether we understand it or not He knows what He is doing.

The acceptance of trials and acknowledging God brings blessings that far outweigh all the trials.  Since God is both with us and in us, we can choose to live from this peaceful place of union with Him, even in the midst of a storm.  This enables us to stay calm in the midst of stressful situations by keeping our focus on him.  We learn to live from a place of "resting in Him."  But true peace is not living in perpetual calm, but having faith throughout the storms.

No matter how hard the enemy tries to stop God's work in a believer's life, God keeps His promises and the Holy Spirit enables Believers to trust God when facing difficulties.

PAUL - Survives The Storm and A Shipwreck

Read Acts 27

Paul is a perfect example for us from God's Word how believers can trust God in any situation.  After 2 years of imprisonment, Paul is now on his way to Rome on a ship where God told him to go.  Julius, a Centurion was in charge of the prisoners, keeping them from escaping.  Paul found favor with him.

Winds made sailing difficult and as you read through you will see how the enemy was really wanting Paul dead.  He didn't want Paul sharing God's Word.  The winds grew fierce with a hurricane force that came against them.  Paul tried telling them that the storm coming would bring hurt and damage to the ship and their lives, but they didn't listen.  Because of the difficulty of the storm, the ship lost its course and let the storm take it.

In Paul's day, they used the stars in the sky to help them navigate, but on this night in this storm, the stars could not be seen.  They gave up all hope to be saved.  Those with physical eyes, this situation seemed impossible, but nothing with God is impossible.  He had a plan for Paul's life and Paul knew what God had said and where he was directing him and not even a life threatening storm was going to stop the plan.

After a long period of fasting, Paul was then visited by an angel that was sent to encourage Him.  See what fasting (going without food) can do?  It kills the flesh and lets the Spirit rise and reign from within!  Confidence and courage comes!  He was encouraged and then He encouraged all the others.  He was given a word. He was given direction.  The Holy Spirit gave him courage to speak words of encouragement to all the other passengers.  As long as they stayed in the ship, they would be safe and live.  And after 14 days of drifting on the sea, the terrible storm passed.  At the end, they did have a shipwreck but all was able to jump in and swim to shore.  All survived just as God told Paul they would.  He is faithful to His Word.

When we face difficult times, God comforts us and then in turn we can comfort others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) During the storm, stay in the ship with the Lord.  He's our anchor - our Hope.  Just as in this story with Paul making it through the storm, and God also helping him survive the shipwreck, His power is also there for us, keeping us safe.  Hold on to all that God has promised. He will bring it to pass as He did with Paul. He keeps His Word.  Let us trust Him. 

He is powerful and in control even when things in our lives seem out of control.  He will give us peace even when we don't understand it.  He is our Hope, the anchor of our soul that keeps us safe and secure. Our Hope is in God and His Word.

Setting The Anchor,
Connie Schmoll

If you are viewing this from email, visit my devotional site to listen to the song, "The Anchor Holds" by Ray Boltz