Anchored

I grew up in a landlocked country. The nearest lake was hundreds of kilometers away from where I was born. So, for much of my early life, I had no practical understanding of boats, how they worked, how they stayed still, or why they didn’t drift away with every passing current or gust of wind.

It wasn’t until much later, probably in high school or maybe during a TV documentary, that I first learnt about anchors. Heavy, weighted tools dropped from a boat to the bottom of the sea or lakebed to keep it from drifting. No matter how strong the wind or restless the water, the boat could remain in place as long as the anchor held.

That image has stuck with me, especially now, living in a world that often feels like it’s spinning faster than we can hold on. Economic instability, political unrest, family crises… and the list goes on. One bad headline after another. It’s easy to spiral emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  That’s why anchors matter. Not just for boats but for our souls.

Hebrews 6:19 describes hope in Jesus as “an anchor for the soul, firm, and secure.” Not a flimsy rope or a fleeting feeling, but a strong, immovable anchor that keeps us steady when life tries to pull us under.

One story that perfectly captures this is Peter walking on water in Matthew 14. The disciples are in a boat, battered by waves, when Jesus appears, walking on the sea. Peter, bold and impulsive, calls out, “Lord, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.”
Jesus says, “Come.” And Peter steps out of the boat. For a moment, he walks miraculously on the water. But then the wind howls, the waves crash, and Peter does what many of us do in life’s storms. He looks around, becomes afraid, and begins to sink.

But here’s the anchor moment: “Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.” (Matthew 14:31) Peter could have spiraled. He was in literal and metaphorical deep waters. But he cried out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus became his anchor. Not by calming the storm immediately, but by holding Peter steady in it.

Anchors don’t remove the storm. They don’t stop the waves from coming. But they keep the boat from drifting too far. In the same way, being anchored in Jesus doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges. It means we have a foundation that holds us firm through them.

So how do we stay anchored? By staying in God’s Word, even when our feelings waver.
By choosing to pray, especially when we don’t have the words. By surrounding  ourselves with a community that reminds us of truth when we forget it. By remembering that we are not alone in the boat and Jesus is not just on the water,  He is with us in the storm.

You don’t need perfect faith to be anchored. Peter certainly didn’t. You just need to call out to the One who does not move, who does not fail, and who is always ready to reach out His hand. When everything feels like it’s shifting, may we remember this. We have an anchor that holds. And His name is Jesus.

I have been listening to this song Zvandaitirwa by Julian King. It’s an amazing song that acknowledges the goodness of God.

Gratitude: This week, I am grateful that I never have to do life alone, and I am surrounded by love and community.

Gratefully