An Anchor Worth Celebrating

Despite our challenging circumstances, we each have an anchor in our life worthy of celebrating. Fiona shares. . .

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19)

Recently, a friend of my Mum’s greeted me at church and said, “It’s my birthday. Today I’m 73 and who would have thought I’d make it that far!”

This lady suffered a bleed in the brain when she was 40. She had been badly injured and had a long way back to health, but she managed to retrain so much of her body and brain–to go on and live a fulfilling life.

Those words were ringing in my ears as I contemplated the fact that I was approaching a significant birthday myself. Because we have been compiling a photo book of many of the pictures from my childhood, youth, and into my adult years, I had been remembering–and celebrating–lots of people and activities I’d been involved in over those years.

There were also memories of people I no longer have contact with; there were things that I had once enjoyed doing, yet now am unable to do; there were days filled with so much more than it now seems is my “usual” and I was reminded of many happy things. But alongside those happy memories, there were also feelings of sadness and loss.

It seems that “celebrating” kind of occasions can oftentimes involve looking back. For those of us with chronic illness our lives have changed, in ways that can sometimes be far from pleasant.

I wasn’t looking forward to celebrating and I can’t say I didn’t have those “poor me” thoughts, but at the same time, I felt God was reminding me of the significance He sees in my life and the way that I’ve changed over those years.

• I have survived so much over those years, even when sometimes it’s been a struggle.
• I have never lost my faith and in fact it has grown to mean so much more to me.
• People have been there just at the right time, to help me along the journey.
• There have been times I didn’t know how I could go on, but I’ve clung to His promises and the hope they give me.

God never asked me to do this alone. He knew what I would need to get me through each of those years I’ve lived and however more there are to come.

I thought of that song* that is written about the above verse and how that anchor is what holds me secure and gives me hope to face each day–whatever lies ahead. Surely that is worth celebrating!

Prayer: Father, help me to be “fastened to the rock which cannot move” and “grounded firm and deep” in Your love and Your promises. Amen.
* Will Your Anchor Hold – Priscilla Owens

About the Author:
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life, and the lessons He is teaching her, as she lives with chronic back pain. She enjoys finding time for reading, writing, and photography, and to travel when she is able. You can contact her in the Sunroom.

When have you been reminded that you need to celebrate what you have achieved, rather than what you may have lost? Do you have an anchor you hold on to at those times?