Establish Your Hearts
“You, too, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:8 ESV
The word “establish” means “to firmly set in place, make stable, confirm, or make permanent.” I like the definition “firmly set in place,” which reminds me of how my husband sets the anchor when we’re fishing, ensuring we don’t drift off our “honey hole.”
Charles Stanley has a life principle that states, “God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.”(Life Principle #3)
In times of trouble or difficulties, when the trials of life pile up and you feel overwhelmed, what do you cling to? What do you rely on to help you navigate through these challenges?
This life principle promises that God’s Word is an immovable anchor. In Hebrews 6:19, we are reminded, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” This anchor is Jesus! He is the one we can count on to guide us through any challenges we face.
Like the Psalmist in Psalm 112:7, we to can be unafraid of bad news because our hearts are firm and we trust in the Lord.
Psalm 34:19 says, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” When we have made the Lord our anchor and trust in His many promises, we can count on Him to see us through.
God promises us in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” What a wonderful promise to hold onto during any of life’s “storms”!
Another way to establish our hearts is found in Colossians 2:7 (ESV), which reminds us to be “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Are we allowing our roots to grow deep into Jesus? Are we letting our lives be built on Him?
What does it mean to be rooted? How does this manifest in our daily lives? What does it mean to be “built on Him” so that our faith flourishes?
My husband and I have attempted gardening. One year, I recall, the broccoli plants appeared quite frail. The broccoli heads produced were small, and the plants never truly took off. When I harvested what I desired from the plants, I went ahead and pulled them up. The roots were all on the surface, seemingly not penetrating the soil. It was incredibly easy to pull them up, as if the plants had never “established” themselves in the soil. This reminded me of the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13. In this parable, Jesus describes the fate of seeds that fall on rocky ground. “Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they lacked sufficient soil. Consequently, they sprouted immediately, as they had no depth of soil. However, when the sun rose, they were scorched. Since they lacked roots, they withered away.”
If we are rooted and established in our faith, do we trust in the Lord and His promises? Do we recall Psalms like Psalm 46:1 and claim its promise: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Do we remind ourselves that He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5) and that there is nowhere we can go where He is not (Psalm 139:7-11)? When difficulties arise, which they inevitably will, can we learn from them or the lessons they may impart? Or will we wither away like plants that lack roots?
Joshua reminded the ancient Israelites in Joshua 21:45, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” He reminds us as well! When we have weathered a “storm,” may we remember God’s faithfulness and allow His numerous promises to anchor us to Him when the next storm approaches!
As Colossians 3:16 advises, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
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