Life is immensely challenging, and every one of us needs an anchor to fortify us through its trials. The fundamental question we must ask ourselves is: where do we find our strength?
As created beings, we do not possess infinite strength within ourselves. Consider a growing child. A child is inherently dependent on their parents, not only for physical sustenance, but for emotional stability. They rely on love and affection to develop into a healthy individual—mentally, morally, and spiritually.
When I speak of the spiritual aspect, I am not referring strictly to formal religion; I am speaking of the inner person. The internal self requires nourishment to survive and mature. If a child does not receive that crucial affirmation at home, they inevitably seek it elsewhere—through friends, authority figures, or sometimes even destructive groups like gangs. Even in bad company, what they are fundamentally seeking is a sense of brotherhood, belonging, and affection that tells them their life matters.
Without love and a sense of inherent worth, surviving life’s hardships becomes nearly impossible. Life cannot be reduced to merely eating, drinking, and tending to the physical body; the inner person must be fed. We see this vividly in many affluent Western societies. Material wealth may be abundant, yet depression, anxiety, loneliness, and despair run rampant. Many lose the very will to live because they feel unloved and disconnected.
In response, people place their trust in substitute sources of strength: money and wealth, intellect and wisdom, and status and position. The fatal flaw with these sources is that they are inherently temporary and subject to failure. In your time of ultimate need, money cannot heal a broken spirit, friends may move away or pass on, spouses can be overwhelmed, health can deteriorate, jobs can disappear, and armies can desert their king. Whenever we anchor our lives to something that changes, we risk total collapse when that anchor gives way.
This reality echoes the biblical warning in Jeremiah seventeen verse five: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord."
Human support systems, while valuable, are finite. Only God remains constant. No bad weather, financial hardship, or physical trial can hinder God from stepping in to sustain us.
When a person truly feels loved, valued, and anchored by God, they gain an inner resilience that makes them virtually unstoppable. The internal spirit is restored. Conversely, when we reduce ourselves to mere biological matter—random atoms with no higher purpose—it is easy to fall into despair during difficult seasons.
To build an enduring life, we must make God our primary anchor. First, immerse yourself in His Word; discover how God views you. When the world tells you that you are worthless, Scripture reminds you that you are deeply valued and intentionally made. Second, maintain honest prayer; bring your genuine frustrations, fears, anxieties, and disappointments directly to God. Never hesitate to ask Him specifically for strength and fortitude.
Materialism has its place, but it will never satisfy the inner soul. Seek your strength, wisdom, and purpose in the Lord. When He becomes your anchor, you will find the fortitude to endure any storm and truly thrive
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