God is so much more than what we consider Him to be. God is often referred to as our “Anchor in the storm.” It’s an appropriate analogy. An anchor gives stability. It holds a boat somewhat in place when the winds and waves are raging around it. When we face chaotic circumstances, we find peace and stability by remembering that God holds us.
However, I think the description of God as our anchor, is insufficient. From the early years of our marriage, my husband and I developed a love for sailing. It became our family recreation. After spending hundreds of hours on our sailboat, I can acknowledge the importance of the anchor. It kept the boat from drifting away if we stopped to spend the night in a cove, or if we decided to go swimming for awhile. But, most of the time our anchor remained stowed away in its compartment. Unless we actually needed it, we gave it little thought.
It can be easy to view God that way. We may think of Him as the anchor to be hauled out for stability in the midst of a storm. When the waters are calm, He is still there in a compartment of life, accessible if needed, but not given much thought otherwise.
God is so much more than what we consider Him to be.
It is certainly true that our reliance on God provides stability, no matter what may be going on around us. But like all of our attempts to describe God, the picture is too small. It may be accurate, but it is inadequate.
Our sailing experience has given me a fuller illustration concerning our life and faith. From sailing I have observed that the surface of the water changes constantly. The waves move. The wind changes direction, increases, or decreases. People who have never sailed assume that the direction a boat can sail is dependent on the direction of the wind. Actually, except for the restrictions of the shoreline, you can sail in any direction other than directly into the wind. Even then, if you want to head to a point that is directly into the wind, you can get there by turning back and forth across the wind. Sailing requires that the crew bears responsibility to manage the sails, regardless of the wind.
Not all of life is a storm, but it is an ever changing sea. An anchor must be firmly set to be effective. Our faith must be firmly grounded in who God is.
Extending the analogy, God is so much more than our anchor. He is also the vessel that carries us through. He is the rudder that gives us direction. He is the wind that puts power in our sails. He is the GPS, the God-positioning-system, by which we navigate life. He is our life–the whole experience. We are dependent on Him for everything we might possibly need, no matter what uncertainties we face. In a world that is constantly changing, He never changes. He continually transforms us, teaching us to trust Him more, so we can meet change with peace, not panic. We can rest in His unchanging nature, through all our changing circumstances.
Our part is to learn to cooperate with him and manage the sails according to the winds he sends.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Hebrews 6:19 NLT
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.
Blessings,
Phyllis
© 2026 Phyllis L. Farringer
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay