One of the
prominent themes in the Bible is steadfastness. The mature Christian
always reflects a consistent confidence in God's goodness and
sovereignty. Circumstances never deter him from continuing on in
service for his Lord. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, the mature
Christian has an anchor to keep him from being tossed about by the
storms of life. That anchor is his eternal hope--the steadfastness of
God and all He promised in His Word.
On the other hand, the immature Christian who lacks steadfastness is pictured as a man tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Every "wind" hurls him in another direction. He has lost sight of his hope; his life has lost focus and direction. He begins to doubt God's promises--not only those for the here and now, but also those related to his eternal security based on the finished work of Christ on the cross.
But how then do you remain steadfast. Well, not by being courageous in the midst of the storm. Telling the waves that you're not afraid of them won't do much to intimidate them. Resigning yourself to the waves won't help either; waves aren't into pity. Remembering how things were before the waves came won't help much either. Waves can erode away--wear down--the coldest, hardest rock. And they aren't too concerned about yesterday.
No, the only way to remain steadfast is to grasp hold of the anchor. Begin to study the Word of God--that which reveals His unchanging character as the surety for all His promises. And I mean study, too. Not just devotions, but careful, diligent study of God's truth.
Being unstable is miserable. A life of ups and downs. Spiritual seasickness. And the only thing that keeps you in that susceptible frame of mind is neglect. There sits the anchor. Here come the waves. Toss or be tossed. The choice is yours.
On the other hand, the immature Christian who lacks steadfastness is pictured as a man tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Every "wind" hurls him in another direction. He has lost sight of his hope; his life has lost focus and direction. He begins to doubt God's promises--not only those for the here and now, but also those related to his eternal security based on the finished work of Christ on the cross.
But how then do you remain steadfast. Well, not by being courageous in the midst of the storm. Telling the waves that you're not afraid of them won't do much to intimidate them. Resigning yourself to the waves won't help either; waves aren't into pity. Remembering how things were before the waves came won't help much either. Waves can erode away--wear down--the coldest, hardest rock. And they aren't too concerned about yesterday.
No, the only way to remain steadfast is to grasp hold of the anchor. Begin to study the Word of God--that which reveals His unchanging character as the surety for all His promises. And I mean study, too. Not just devotions, but careful, diligent study of God's truth.
Being unstable is miserable. A life of ups and downs. Spiritual seasickness. And the only thing that keeps you in that susceptible frame of mind is neglect. There sits the anchor. Here come the waves. Toss or be tossed. The choice is yours.
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