An anchor for the soul
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Hebrews 6:19
What is your anchor?
That might seem like a strange question to some, who don’t like the idea of being tied down or anchored to something. Many people see themselves as free spirits, able to go where they want and do what they want without being weighed down in any way.
It’s great to be creative and have our heads in the clouds. But whether you are a free spirit or not, we all have anchors. We all have things that help us to feel safe and secure, rooted and stable. However much we reach for the stars, we all need to have our feet on the ground in some way.
Just as a ship has an anchor to keep it safe, so we each forge anchors for our souls to keep us secure. For many people, their anchor is wealth. The thing that makes them feel secure in life is knowing that there is money in the bank, and enough to cover any eventuality. Wealth is a popular anchor for the soul.
For others, our anchor is family. Knowing that we are good parents, raising the next generation well and giving them everything they need makes us feel on a firm footing. Difficulty and disruption in the family, on the other hand, rocks our boat and makes us feel deeply unsettled and all at sea.
Perhaps our career is our anchor, what gives us a sense of worth and identity, a sense of stability and calm? Or might it be our friends and status among them? Or maybe our reputation and standing in the community?
We all need our soul to be anchored in some way. But the big question is, when the storm hits, will our anchor be secure? Anchors are nice to look at, whether on a ship, decorating a nautical theme or tattooed on somebody’s arm. But the worth of an anchor is only truly found when the wind and waves batter the ship. It is only then that we find out whether we have trusted in an anchor that will hold.
The Bible encourages us that the ultimate anchor for our souls is Jesus Christ. He has been through every storm and suffering of life and come through the other side. Even the last enemy of death was unable to overcome him. We can truly trust him with the whole of our life, and our hope in him is not wasted. Indeed, the book of Hebrews tells us that “we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19)
Money, family, career and influence all have their place and value, but finally fail as anchors for the soul. Whatever the storms of life we may face, we can stand firm on Jesus as the true and trusted anchor.