Our Anchor - Denia Bradshaw
One of the messages that stood out to me last Sunday with Jenny Yang was when Jenny reminded us that God promises to be faithful even when we are faithless and break our vows.
For this devotional, I would like to converge faithlessness and the breaking of vows with the experience of challenges and limiting thoughts and beliefs, along with how to ground oneself during those moments.
Remembering that the awareness is bigger than the thoughts, everything we experience can be seen as a weather system. It can also be seen as waves in a vast ocean, with God being our anchor. When we experience moments of limiting thoughts, we can always go back to the anchor. Another way to look at this, as described by Jack Cornfield, can be as clouds, coming and going, uninvited. Too, he says challenges can be the source to our awakening, deepening wisdom, patience, balance, and compassion. This can be likened to planting and growing seeds (seeds of awakening, wisdom, patience, etc…) where we can feed difficulties to the awareness without resistance, such as grasping, fear, judgement, or aversion.
Guiding questions can also be helpful, questions like: How am I receiving this? Who would I be if I didn’t believe this? Can I touch with love whatever I have closed my heart to? What if I relaxed with faith?
God also reaches us with scripture. For instance, Psalm 23 assures us of God’s presence and comfort, offering solace during challenging times.
The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. [Rev. 7:17.]
He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him–not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
Psalm 23:1-6 AMPC
God, you tell us we are never alone and that you are always with us. Guiding us, comforting us, and strengthening us. During difficult times, may we cultivate courage and face uncertainty fiercely. May we reconnect again and again to you, our serenity. May we bare this truth as our daily practice. We love you and are so grateful to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.