The Anchor: Discovering Gods Strength

“The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.” – Psalm 37:39

As I sit here today, reflecting on the journey of the past year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for what God has done in my life. I spent too many years doubting Him. I walked through life as though I can manage everything on my own strength. I acted as if the wisdom of this world was enough to carry me through the storms that always come.

I remember the weight I carried during those years of doubt. Every worry seemed magnified, every weakness exposed and raw. I tried to build my life on the shifting sands of my own understanding, my own capabilities, my own plans. I leaned on career success, on relationships, on the approval of others, on the fleeting satisfaction of material things. But none of it provided the foundation I desperately needed. None of it could bear the weight of real trouble when it came knocking at my door.

The turning point came when I finally admitted what I had known deep down all along: I was not enough. My strength was not strong enough. My wisdom was limited. My control was an illusion. In that moment of surrender, when I stopped running from God and instead ran toward Him, everything began to change. Not all at once—God’s work in us is often gradual, transforming us layer by layer—but steadily, surely, powerfully.

When I accepted Jesus back into my life, something remarkable happened. All of my worries and my weaknesses became a second thought because I now had Him as my foundation. This doesn’t mean the challenges disappeared or that life suddenly became easy. The bills still needed to be paid. The difficult relationships still required navigation. The uncertainties about the future still existed. But now, I had someone to lean on who was greater than all of these things. I had a rock beneath my feet that would not crumble, no matter how fierce the winds blew.

I began to lean on Him in times of worry and in times of weakness. When anxiety would creep in during the quiet hours of the night, I would turn to prayer instead of tossing and turning in my own thoughts. When I felt inadequate for the tasks before me, I would remember that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. When decisions loomed large and I didn’t know which way to turn, I would open His word and seek His guidance, trusting that He would direct my path,

As I began to do daily devotionals and pray to Him consistently, something became clear to me: if I had His word in my heart, then the rest would take care of itself. This wasn’t a magical formula or a guarantee that life would be problem-free. It was the recognition that when God’s truth is planted deep within us, it becomes the lens through which we see everything else. It becomes the compass that guides our decisions, the comfort that sustains us in hardship, and the wisdom that keeps us from destructive paths.

I have found this to be true. God’s word provides clarity. It sheds light on the way forward. It shows us not just what to do, but who to be. It transforms us from the inside out, renewing our minds and our spirit.

But here’s what troubles me as I look at our society: I think far too often in today’s world, society as a whole has turned their back on Jesus and is afraid to truly lean on Him. There’s a fear of appearing weak. A fear of admitting we need help. A fear of acknowledging that there is a higher authority than our own desires and opinions. We’ve been sold the lie that faith is a crutch for the weak-minded. That enlightenment comes through rejecting His word in favor of modern philosophies, that we are the captains of our own ship and the masters of our own destinies.

Over the last twenty-five years, society has increasingly shunned Jesus. People have pushed Him to the back burner. I don’t say this to be judgmental. I do not claim that Christians are perfect. We are far from perfect. Our own failures have sometimes contributed to people turning away from the faith. But when we remove God’s word as the foundation for how we treat one another, we see the consequences. Dismissing the teachings of Jesus about love, forgiveness, humility, and service leads to inevitable outcomes.

We see it in the news stories every day, where people are quick to attack and slow to listen. We see it in the breakdown of families and communities, where commitment is treated as optional and self-interest reigns supreme. We see it in the epidemic of loneliness and depression, even as we are more “connected” than ever through technology.

This isn’t to say that everyone who doesn’t follow Jesus is indecent or that society was perfect in the past. When that foundation is removed, when God’s word is no longer respected as a source of wisdom and truth, we are left to build on sand. And Jesus Himself warned us what happens to houses built on sand: when the storms come, they will crumble. The answer to societies decay is not political, though politics has its place. It’s not primarily economic, though economic factors matter. It’s not even educational, though education is important. The answer is spiritual. The answer is a return to God’s word as the foundation for our lives—individually and collectively.

When we use God’s word as a source of strength, we tap into something that transcends our circumstances. The Bible is not just a collection of ancient texts or moral guidelines. It is alive and active; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. God’s word has power because it is God speaking to us. It has the power to convict, to comfort, to correct, to encourage, to transform.

I have experienced this power firsthand over the past year. When I’ve been discouraged, passages about hoping in the Lord have lifted my spirit. They remind me that if I continue to trust in Him, my strength will be renewed. When I’ve been tempted to respond to hurt with bitterness, Jesus’s words about loving our enemies have challenged me. When I’ve doubted God’s care for me, I’ve been reminded of His promise. He knows the plans He has for me. These are plans to prosper me and not to harm me. They are plans to give me hope and a future.

These aren’t just nice sentiments or inspirational quotes. They are truths that have sustained God’s people through persecution, poverty, illness, loss, and every hardship for thousands of years. They are truths that have the power to sustain us today, if we will receive them and build our lives upon them.

Without His word as a foundation for our life, we will continue down a destructive path. On a personal level, without God’s word to guide us, we are left to navigate life based on our feelings. These feelings are questionable at times. Our reasoning is limited. Additionally, the opinions of others are often contradictory. We become like ships without anchors, tossed about by every wave of new philosophy or cultural trend. We make decisions that seem right in the moment but lead to regret. We pursue things that promise fulfillment but leave us empty.

But there is hope. There is always hope when we turn back to God. The beautiful truth of the Gospel is that it’s never too late to return to Him. No matter how far you have wandered, no matter how long you have doubted, no matter how much you have messed up, God is ready to receive you with open arms.

This is what God did for me a year ago, and this is what He will do for anyone who turns to Him. He doesn’t condemn us for our years of doubt or rebellion. He welcomes us home. And then He begins the work of rebuilding our lives on the solid foundation of His word and His love.

As I’ve walked this journey over the past year, I’ve discovered that having God’s word as my foundation doesn’t mean I have all the answers or that I never struggle. But it means I have a place to stand when everything else is shaking. It means I have a source of truth when the world is full of lies. It means I have hope when circumstances would otherwise lead me to make bad decisions.

I’ve also discovered that this foundation isn’t just for my benefit. As I’ve grown stronger in my faith, as God’s word has taken deeper root in my heart, I’ve been able to be a source of encouragement and strength to others. I’ve been able to share the hope that I’ve found. I’ve been able to point people not to my own wisdom or strength, but to the God who is the source of all wisdom and strength. This is how transformation spreads—one life at a time, one conversation at a time, one act of love at a time.

My prayer is that more people would discover what I’ve rediscovered this past year: that God is real. That I can be anchored by His word! And that I am guided by His Truth! That He is my strength in time of trouble.

My prayer is that individuals would stop trying to carry the weight of life on their own shoulders and would instead cast their cares on Him. Trusting that He cares for them.

My prayer is that our society would rediscover the wisdom and beauty of God’s word and that we would rebuild our communities the foundation of His truth.

This isn’t about forcing religion on anyone or returning to some idealized past that never really existed. It’s about recognizing our deep need for God and responding to His invitation to come to Him. It’s about acknowledging that we were created for a relationship with our Creator and that we will never find true peace, purpose, or fulfillment apart from Him. It’s about building our lives—and our society—on something that will last, something that can withstand the storms that will eventually come.

This is the promise available to all of us. If we build our lives with His word as THE foundation then that foundation is a solid rock. The storms of life will come! They will beat down on that foundation, but it will not fall, because it has been built on solid rock: His Truth! His Word! We become unshakeable. Not because we are strong, but because our foundation is strong.

As I look ahead to the future, I don’t know what challenges await. I don’t know what trials I’ll face or what uncertainties will arise. But I know this: I will not face them alone. I have a God who has promised never to leave me or forsake me. I have His word to guide me, to strengthen me, to comfort me, and to correct me when I stray. I will stumble. I will not fall. I have Him that gives me the strength to keep building the foundation. Brick by Brick! Word by Word. Truth by Truth.

This hope is not wishful thinking or blind optimism. It is a confident expectation based on the character and promises of God. It is an anchor that holds firm no matter how turbulent the seas of life become. It is the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving, between existing and living with purpose and meaning.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been walking through life without this foundation, without this hope, I want you to know that it’s available to you. God is not distant or disinterested. He is near to all who call on Him in truth. His word is not locked away or difficult to access. It is available to you right now, ready to speak into your life, ready to provide the guidance and strength you need.

All it takes is a step of faith—a decision to stop relying solely on yourself and to start trusting in God. A decision to open His word and allow it to speak to you. A decision to pray, even if you’re not sure how or what to say. A decision to surrender your life to Jesus, acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior. This is the decision I made a year ago, and it has changed everything.

As I close this reflection, I’m reminded of the verse that has become especially meaningful to me in recent months. It captures both the reality of life’s challenges and the security I have in Christ. It speaks to the anchor that holds us steady when everything else is shifting. It reminds me that my hope is not based on my circumstances or my own strength, but on the unchanging character and promises of God.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”Hebrews 6:19

Until Next Time,
Chad
Anchored By His Word
Guided By His Truth