I’ve heard everybody from pastors to parents say it. And I’ve said it myself many times: This year has been hard. And it will get harder before it gets better. But it’s going to get better.
The closer we get to that light at the end of the tunnel, the more I’ve been thinking about a verse from the book of Acts. The Apostle Paul is a prisoner on board a ship bound for Rome, when it sails into a great storm. Having battled the winds and the waves for many days, the sailors are giving up hope of survival:
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks,
they cast four anchors out of the stern,
and wished for the day.
Acts 27:29
Some translations use “prayed” in place of “wished.” Either way, the sailors are longing for relief from the storm and the darkness. Their only remaining option is to drop anchor and hope and pray they live to see daylight.
We’re living through our own version of “drop anchor and pray for daylight.” How well we get through the storm will depend on our anchors—that is, what we anchor ourselves to. It's interesting to think about—who and what your anchors are. I know that God, my family, and my closest and dearest friends are my three strongest anchors. My fourth, I think, is made of all the things that bring me peace and joy—writing, nature, music, Cheeto the Cat . . .
When I focus on my anchors—not the storm but the anchors that I know will get me through it—I feel joy and gratitude, not fear or sadness. So if you’re feeling tossed about, just remember: It’s not about the size of the storm. It’s about the strength of your anchors.
Daylight’s on the way. "The Storm Is Passing Over."
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