The Anchor

The last time I went to the beach, I noticed something interesting happening. After a couple of hours of swimming in the ocean, I looked back at where we set up our umbrella and saw that we had drifted super far from our original spot. It was crazy because it felt like we were at the same spot the entire time we were swimming. After doing some research, I found out that this mysterious effect is called a rip current. Since they don’t always create obvious waves or disturbances on the surface, you might not notice you’re being pulled out until you’re already far from shore. You start out in one place and hours later, you end up somewhere you never would have expected.

A similar thing happened to one of Jesus’ closest disciples, Peter. Peter started out walking closely with Jesus full of faith, confidence, and boldness. He was the one who confidently declared that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). He even stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus (Matthew 14:29). But just like the pull of the ocean’s current, Peter drifted without even realizing it.

On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter found himself sitting by a fire in the courtyard while Jesus was being questioned inside. A servant girl recognized him and said, “You were with Jesus of Galilee.” But Peter denied it not once, but three times (Matthew 26:69-75).

Peter had drifted. Fear, confusion, and pressure pulled him away from his original faith and confidence. He didn’t wake up that morning planning to deny Jesus, in fact, he said that he would NEVER deny Jesus (Matthew 26:35). However, small shifts in his heart over time and circumstances led him to a place he never expected to be.

Maybe today, you look back at your life and notice a drift. It could have been a very small, gradual drift, or it could have happened all at once. Regardless, there was a point when you were on fire for God, reading the Bible daily, praying consistently, and walking confidently in your faith. But now, you look up and realize you’ve drifted far from where you started. The passion you once had feels distant. Maybe fear, stress, distractions, or even comfort pulled you away without you even noticing.

The good news is that, just like Peter, Jesus is the anchor that hasn’t left you. After His resurrection, Jesus met Peter on the shore and prepared breakfast for him (John 21:9). He asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” mirroring the three times Peter denied Him. In that moment, Jesus wasn’t condemning Peter; He was restoring him. He brought him back to the starting point by reminding him of his calling and setting him back on course. In fact, Peter ended up being one of the most impactful preachers in the early church (see the book of Acts).

If you’ve drifted, it’s not too late to come back. The Bible says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Jesus is waiting, ready to restore you. Just like Peter, all it takes is recognizing where you’ve drifted, turning back to Jesus, and letting Him use you exactly where you are. He is the anchor.

The Bigger Picture: The current of the world may have pulled you off course, but your foundation in Christ, the anchor, is still there. Fix your eyes back on Him and let Him hold you steady as you navigate through the waves of life.