Read Online Hope for Your Heart: Finding Strength in Life's Storms by June Hunt - Free Book Online

weightless cork toward the shore. In an attempt to diminish their speed, they let down the
sea anchor
. This was their only hope of not crashing into sandbars at a speed that would cause certain death.
Paul stood up before them and said: “. . . I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost. . . . Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God.” (Acts 27:21–22, 25)

    Jesus has proven Himself to be my personal “sea” anchor
when life has careened off course and all hope seemed to be lost. Since giving my life to Christ, there have been times when I wanted my life to be over. Not that I wanted to kill myself—I didn’t have a plan for doing so. However, at certain times my soul has been so anguished that I simply didn’t care to go on living. . . . I just wanted to go
Home
.
    How clearly I recall one such instance. I was sitting in my breakfast nook, contemplating one of the most painful situations I’d ever faced as a follower of Christ. Yet I remember, amidst the pain, being surprised at my perspective. My internal conversation went something like this:
    “I am dreading the inevitable pain I’m about to face. However, I recognize that in the past God has used my pain to build compassion, empathy, and insight in my life. Even though I am going to hurt . . . and hurt badly . . . like all pain before it, this pain has a beginning, but it will also have an end. I am going to grow, and I am going to learn. In the process I am going to hold on to God’s promises and believe that He will never fail me as I place my hope in Him. First Peter 1:6–7 will be true in my life: Now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
    I wish I could say I’ve approached every crisis with mature hope and faith. I have not. But what peace I have known when I have chosen, as an act of my will, to place my hope in God despite my circumstances, anchoring my future and my faith in Him! He has never failed me, and, my friend, He will never fail you.

HIDDEN HELPERS
    Have you ever been storm-tossed, in pain, and you didn’t know what to do? So you said, “Lord, where are You? Why aren’t You here? I don’t see You helping me at all!”
    Realize, although each of the five anchors are different, they share one very important characteristic: If they are doing their job,
you won’t
see them
!They always perform their job sight unseen. They are always invisible to those onboard . . . to those who hope they will be held tight.
    You don’t have to “see” anchors to know that they’re working. What’s going on above the surface lets you know what’s going on below the surface.
    But anchors stowed away in a ship’s stern while storms rage can only be considered valueless, useless, powerless. They must be purposefully put to use, their intended function applied when the ship is vulnerable and unsteady, when it’s capable of capsizing from tremendous environmental pressures.

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN
ANCHORARIUS
    In ancient times ships had an
anchorarius
, a forerunner. 9 This sailor went before and was in charge of the ship’s main anchor. The forerunner, along with other sailors, would carry the anchor inside a smaller boat and set it down in a safe harbor.
    Although the huge ship remained outside the harbor, it was
    anchored close to the shore. The anchor firmly held the ship against turbulent winds and waves that would otherwise push it out to sea or cause it to crash against the rocky shoreline.
    Once on land, the original forerunner was the one person chosen to run to a designated place before all others, arriving for three purposes:

to give notice of their approach,
to take possession in their name,
to prepare for their arrival. 10

    We also have a forerunner, a