I talk a lot about having HOPE in my blogs. But really, what is HOPE and how do we have HOPE in days like these and how do we anchor it? How do we dig deep to survive and have HOPE that is an anchor for the soul in days where people are dying by the thousands, when a virus may potentially infect half of the world’s population, when people are losing jobs and it all seems hopeless? What do anchors have to do with HOPE? Everything.
“We have this HOPE as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure”. Hebrews 6:19
When deciding to drop anchor there is much to consider.
The anchor line (rope) – A three stranded braided line is the strongest and will hold best and not tear. The same is true of HOPE. It’s not that we aren’t strong enough on our own. We are stronger when we allow others to help and rely on God.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
The approach and drop – One must first decide the final resting place before they can decide where to drop anchor? You can’t drop the anchor directly over the spot you hope to end up. You have to approach the spot correctly, consider wind, and then drop upwind of where you hope to finally rest. We can’t expect to have HOPE in days of the storm when we haven’t fully anchored our faith. I can only speak from experience but in my darkest most trying storms of life, I had to rely on what I knew and cling tightly to my beliefs, my faith. It wasn’t easy, at times I even doubted I could survive. On some days, I couldn’t even form a prayer, a word, a thought. This is when we hold tight to what anchors our souls and refuse to let go.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 13-17
Setting the anchor and storms – The anchor sets best when there is a little tension. A little tension, or wind resistance, will allow the anchor to set firmly and hold steady in the event a strong storm hits. Enduring the storm is the hardest part. Life can throw some ugly storms our way. Many of you are facing some challenging storms right now. Many are sick, many have lost loved ones, many have lost jobs, many are struggling to find courage and HOPE. I hated when people would say things like “God won’t give you more than you can handle”. It’s not about what I could handle, it was all about what I was going to allow God to do. Sometimes we go through small storms to increase our faith for the bigger storms.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the test of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4
No matter what life has thrown at you, you can survive. It will be hard, in fact it may be the hardest thing you’ve ever endured. God will walk with your through the storm, the valley. I know at times he even picked me up and carried me. The world is bleak right now. You can’t turn on the TV or look at social media without being bombarded with all that is wrong in the world. BUT… It’s not too late to start preparing for life’s storms. Decide right now where you will anchor your faith. Choose wisely who you will braid the strands of your life with. Prepare yourself and then hold fast to the anchor your set.
by 
