Our Anchor

Sometimes in life it can feel like we are buoys in the ocean, tossed to and fro by the waves that come our way. 

But God is teaching me that it doesn't have to be like that. We don't HAVE to be moved by each wave, by every trial. 

In Hebrews 6:19, we are told that "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (NIV) When I think about an anchor, I think of something that is solid, something that is trustworthy. It is secure, and it is reliable. 

That is what we have in Christ. Because of Him, and because of His sacrifice, we have hope. Hope that is an anchor for us. Christ is our anchor in life. He is solid, He is trustworthy, He is secure, and He is reliable. 

When a ship in the ocean isn't tied to an anchor, it can move in any direction. It is free to be bounced around by the waves that come its way. However, when a ship is tied to an anchor, it has something holding it in place. Waves will still come its way, but it won't be sent adrift. It will still be bounced a little by the waves, but the ship isn't going anywhere. It has the anchor giving it a firm foundation. 

That is what Christ is to us. He is our anchor. 

Waves and storms will still come, Christ did not promise an easy life if we follow Him. Instead, He guarantees problems (John 16:33), but He also promises to be with us, always (Matthew 28:20). It is how we respond when the problems come that is important. We can choose to let each and every feeling and circumstance move us, we can grumble, and we can be demanding of God. OR we can choose to cling to our anchor, to be thankful, and to remember that God is greater than any circumstance. No matter what trial you're facing, God is with you. He has a plan and a purpose through it all, even if you can't see it yet. He will grow you through the trials, but only if you let Him. 

God has been teaching me this lesson a lot lately, and I know that it is one that I will continue to learn as I go through life. My prayer is that I'll let Him teach me and stretch me through whatever life brings my way, and that through it ALL, I'll cling to Christ, my Anchor. 

Choose to fix your eyes on Christ, your Anchor, rather than on your circumstances. 

Choose to be controlled by the Spirit, rather than by your feelings. 

Choose to be defined by who you are in Christ, rather than by your struggles. 

Choose to hold on to the Anchor through life, through each stormy season. He will not let you down. 

Seeking Him

A few weeks ago I got together with four of my girlfriends for lunch and some much needed talking and catching up. During our time together, one of my friends said something that has stuck with me ever since, and it has been on my mind a lot. She said,

"Too often we seek the answers, instead of seeking God."

That really hit home for me, in that moment, and in the days after as I thought about it. I realized how often I do just that, and especially how much I've done that over this past semester. I focus on the problems, instead of focusing on Christ. I pray asking God for the answers--and then I seek the answers on my own-- when I should be seeking God. I'm not saying that seeking answers is wrong, because I don't think it is. God gave us brains for a reason, and I believe that He wants us to use them, in a way that glorifies Him, though. When we focus solely on the problems, and on the answers we're looking for, I think that we miss out on so much.

The Bible doesn't tell us to seek out the answers to our problems, it tells us to seek after God. In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David charges Solomon to "...know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you..."

And again in Jeremiah 29:13, the idea is to seek God. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all of your heart."

And then in Matthew 6:33, we are told to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."

When we seek the answers instead of seeking God, I think we are choosing what is second best. Many times the answers we crave will never be found on this earth. But the thing we CAN find, if we seek Him, is God. He wants us to seek Him, to pursue Him. When we seek Him instead of just seeking the answers to our problems, we can find peace, we can find joy, and we can find contentment. And often, the very answers we have been looking and looking for are found in Him.

If you are looking for peace, seek Jesus, the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

If you are looking for comfort, seek your Heavenly Father, the Wonderful Counselor. (Isaiah 9:6)

If you are looking for protection and safety, seek God, your Strong Tower and Refuge. (Psalm 61:3

If you looking for direction, seek God--He is always the right direction in which to move. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

No matter what you are seeking, choose to seek God. HE is the answer you have been looking for.

A Beautiful Blend

One of the things God has been teaching me this year, and especially over the past few months, is that life is a blend. A beautiful blend. A constant mixture of good and bad, happiness and sadness, joy and sorrow. I think I'm finally realizing how true Christ's words were when he said, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33, NIV). He did not say that we would have it easy here on earth, nor did he say that we might have trouble. No. Christ said that we WILL have trouble, so to expect anything different is foolish.

When I was younger, I never understood why adults wanted Christ's return so badly. I mean, I definitely wanted Jesus to return, but at that point in my life there were still so many things that I wanted to do, wanted to experience before He came back. Now, while there are still things I'd love to be able to do, I understand so much better. I want Christ to return, too. This world is full of heartache and trouble. Even more than that, we are groaning, reaching, waiting, and hoping for our true home... We were not made for this world. As C.S. Lewis said, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." This world cannot satisfy us; we crave our King and His perfect Kingdom. The heartache and trouble we face in this world are reminders that this is not our final home; we are just passing through.

But while we are here, we have the hope of what is to come. We have tasks to be done, things to do to serve our Lord, our King. This life is a beautiful blend. While there is sorrow and trouble, there is also God's joy and peace. We are not left on our own to fight. Yes, Christ said that in this world we will have trouble, but then He went on to say, "But take heart! I have overcome the world," (John 16:33, NIV).  As it says in the Psalms, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning," (Psalm 30:5, AMP). 

There is HOPE, even if you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. We have the hope of what is to come, and the promise of God's faithfulness. Look for what God is doing, be watching for the little blessings He places in your life, and remember that Jesus has overcome the world, so be hopeful and thankful as you wait on Him. Our God is in control, and He is loving and compassionate. Cling to Him, focus on Him, and trust in Him. He will carry you through whatever trial or trouble you're facing.

It's truly the bad times that make us appreciate the good times even more. Many times it is through the bad times that we grow the most. The hard times force us to take a good, hard look at our lives, our priorities, and our walks with God. For me, especially this year, it's been those times when I realize how much I have NOT been relying on God. It's the rough times that remind me that I am not in control, God is. Oswald Chambers writes in My Upmost for His Highest, "I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him... Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world."

Even though the rough times aren't fun, I know that they serve a purpose. "Shall we receive good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10, NIV) While we may not understand our circumstances at all, God has a good purpose in all of them, even the bad ones. James writes that it is the testing of our faith that produces perseverance, (James 1:2-3). Some of the hardest tests are those that come in the form of trials and troubles. Yet God is in control, and He has a plan, a good plan. Wait on Him through the hard times, delight in Him during the good times, enjoying the simple blessings He places in your life, but praise Him, thank Him, and trust Him through both the good times and the bad times. When we walk in trust and thankfulness, I think that is when we truly start to see life as a beautiful blend, and as a beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father.

This is the Stuff

This morning I woke up with a headache and feeling tired. Not the greatest start to my day. Just a little bit later, I got online to renew a library book only to discover that I had, in fact, missed the due date on NINE other books… Yay for fines on nine overdue books… As I sat stewing over the fact that I forgot to renew nine books (You have no idea how much that irks me…!!), all of a sudden a line from a song popped into my head:


“In the middle of my little mess
 I forget how big I'm blessed.”


That song, “This is the Stuff” by Francesca Battistelli, started running through my mind, and I realized I had a choice. I could let the annoyances of my morning dictate my attitude (and then, ultimately, my day), or I could let it go and remember the many blessings God has placed in my life. I’m realizing more and more how many of these “little” choices we have each day. Even though it is easier to just give in to whatever emotion we’re feeling and let that dictate our day, we do have a choice. We can choose to refocus on God, and on what is really important. Satan will use any opportunity he can to trip us up, and to get us to focus on the negative, to stop us from praising and thanking God.

In my life this morning, Satan used nine overdue books. I’m thankful that God brought to mind that line from the song, and that (this time) I chose to refocus on my Father and His blessings. It truly takes effort to turn your attitude around and start thanking God, because it does not come naturally. But we are told over and over again the Bible to thank God, no matter what our circumstances are.

• “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 7:17

• “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. “ Psalm 107:1

• “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

• “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

Thinking about my morning, I can thank God for a couple of things:

Thank You, Father, that the books were due just two days ago, so my fines were not very high.

Thank You, Father, that I checked online this morning, before too many more days went by without my knowing that I had books overdue.

And thank You, Father, for reminding me through nine overdue library books that Your ways are not my ways, and for teaching me yet another lesson in patience.

“This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess,
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations.”
-Francesca Battistelli, “This is the Stuff

 

Satisfied in Him

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." -John Piper

I have this quote written out on a piece of paper on a corkboard in my room, and I reread it last night. It's one of my favorite quotes, and it struck me once again.

I realized that lately I haven't been satisfying myself in God. I haven't been doing it intentionally, but I've been letting myself focus on other things. As a result, I've noticed that I've been restless lately, discontent and downhearted. I think I've been looking for fulfillment and peace elsewhere, without even realizing it at times.

There's another quote I really like by Michelle Graham from her book Wanting to be Her. She writes that "God did not put him in my life to fulfill my needs. Otherwise I wouldn't need God anymore," (Wanting to be Her, page 96). By "him" she means a boyfriend/fiancé/husband, but I also think it applies to any person in your life, or really anything at all, for that matter. God did not put my family, my boyfriend, my church, my school, or anything else, in my life to fulfill me or my needs. Anytime I try to find fulfillment or peace or satisfaction in anything other than God, I will be let down.

God designed us to want HIM, to desire HIM. And only He can fill that place in our lives, that hole in our hearts. We can find true satisfaction and real peace in Him alone. The part I think is so awesome is that when we are satisfied in God, He is glorified in us!!

Father, forgive me for looking for satisfaction and peace elsewhere. You alone can satisfy, and You alone can give us peace. Thank You for Your love and faithfulness. You are so faithful, so good. Help me to keep my eyes on You, satisfying myself in You alone. I pray that You will be glorified above all else!

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14

No Need for a Sin-Eater

Yesterday I read The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. I didn’t mean to read it all in one day, but it just kinda happened. It was that good! It’s a fictional story based on a real tradition in England, Scotland, and Wales that lasted up into the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The tradition actually came to certain portions of Appalachia in America, as well. I don’t want to give any of Rivers’ novel away, but the gist of it is that a “sin-eater” was a man, usually either a beggar or someone chosen by lots, who would “take upon himself” the sins of someone after they died. He would be cursed by their sin, so that the deceased man or woman could rest peacefully.


It’s an interesting tradition, isn’t it? I had never heard of it until yesterday. Imagine having to choose lots to pick a man who would “carry” all of the sins of a community. He would be shunned and left alone, an outcast of the society. I think the saddest part about this whole tradition, however, is that people really believed that their sin would be taken by the sin-eater, and the sin-eater truly thought he was helping his town or village by “taking” their sins. He thought he was doing God’s work, but instead he was actually just a way for Satan to blind people from God’s truth.


It made me start thinking about and remembering how blessed we are that we don’t need to designate a sin-eater, because Christ came and took our sins upon Himself! We don’t have to try to find a human scapegoat, because the Son of God became the sacrifice for us.  


He died, so that we might live.


I know that I take this for granted all too often. It is amazing, absolutely amazing, that God gave up His own Son as atonement for our sins! We don’t have to try to find a way to get rid of our sin on our own, because if we accept God’s gift to us, our sin is covered by the blood of Jesus. Amazing!!


We don’t need a sin-eater, because we have something so much better… We have true hope in Christ.



(By the way, if you’re look for a novel to read, I definitely recommend The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers!)

Planning or Following?

I am a planner, always have been and probably always will be. Planning is a good thing, definitely. But it needs to be in moderation; otherwise it can easily become an idol in your life. That is something that God has been teaching me over the past year or so, and it is a lesson that I think I’m going to have to keep learning again and again.

 See, planning itself isn’t bad. In fact, planning can save you a lot of time and trouble when done right. The problem arises when you plan everything out so much, that you don’t leave room for God, and/or you don’t allow Him to guide you through the day.  

 Sarah Young, in her devotional Jesus Calling, writes from the perspective of Jesus talking to you and me, His dear friends. Many times Young talks about the need to release our plans so that we can focus on the Lord, and allow HIM to lead us through each day.

 “Come to Me with your plans held in abeyance. Worship Me in Spirit and in truth, allowing My Glory to permeate your entire being. Trust Me enough to let Me guide you through this day, accomplishing My purposes in My timing. Subordinate your myriad plans to My Master Plan. I am sovereign over every aspect of your life!

The challenge continually before you is to trust Me and search for My way through each day. Do not blindly follow your habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” –Sarah Young, Jesus Calling pg. 145 (Bold mine)

These paragraphs were so convicting to me, because I tend to go through each day blindly following my normal route. I also definitely fall into the sin of allowing planning to be an idol in my life. It takes a deliberate effort to stop and search for the Lord in the midst of a busy day, and it takes even more effort and prayer to strive to follow Him through each day wherever He leads. Exodus 20:3 says bluntly that we are to have no other gods before the One True God, our Father. For me, planning is something that I have to deliberately think and pray about, frequently, asking God to lead me rather than trusting in my own plans. I have to again and again affirm my trust in Him, not because His trustworthiness changes, but because I forget to choose to trust. He is trustworthy, always. His plan is so much better than mine, in the long run and in the simple day to day things.

 Thankfully, no matter how many times we choose to follow our own plans for a day, we can always stop and allow God to lead. He is our Loving Father, and He is always beside us, with us, and He will guide us if we ask.

 • “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.” Psalm 48:14

 •“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.” Psalm 31:3

 God doesn’t want you to walk through each day on your own and in your own strength, but walking WITH Him is a choice. Choose each day to allow Him to guide you, moment by moment. Make plans, but hold them in abeyance. Take God’s hand and follow Him through the day, focusing on Him and His glory. Choose to trust Him, rather than in your own plans.

 “Instead of trying to create a mental map of your path through this day, focus on My loving Presence with you.” –Sarah Young, Jesus Calling pg. 123