[I Thirst] Day 33 – Determining the Anchor of Our Lives

Farmer of Hearts - Finding God in All Things

Our life is a continuous process of seeking, and depending on the goals we pursue, we will have different desires. As we age and go through different stages in life, our goals also change, and these goals we pursue shape the trajectory of our lives. It can be said that our life goals affect the ultimate direction and destiny of our lives and shape us into the person we become, with profound impact throughout our lives.

Imagine, if the life goals that we pursue were constantly shifting, then the course of our lives would always be changing, easily influenced by external factors, and in the worst case, we would feel lost and uncertain about the future. But if we choose not to set clear goals and pursue them, we could easily become complacent and stagnant.

When we set our life goals, we need to start with a long-term goal, which should determine the ultimate direction of our lives. This goal should have a foundation that is not easily shaken by time or external factors. This unshakable foundation is like an anchor for a ship, which can stabilize the ship in a storm.

Since everything in the world is only temporary, our focus should be on things that are eternal and unchanging. As Christians, we know that only our faithful God is eternal and unchanging, and He is our true foundation! Jesus Christ and the Church He established are the cornerstone of our lives.

St. Augustine, after experiencing being bound and deeply affected by various desires in his life, realized that there is only one ultimate goal that can bring true peace to his life, and he made a famous statement, "Lord, our hearts are restless until they rest in You." St. Augustine transformed from living an unrestrained life with endless desires to finally finding a refuge, abandoning other desires and pursuits, and finding peace only in God. His conversion brings us an important revelation and great news.

On the other hand, if a person's life is not anchored in God as an unshakable foundation, their heart will not have lasting peace and tranquility. They are prone to feeling restless or losing peace and hope due to minor issues, and are easily influenced by mood swings.

Therefore, before we are able to proclaim the Good News to those around us, we must first recognize God's unchanging role in our hearts and firmly acknowledge this relationship. If we have not recognized Jesus Christ as the centre of our lives, our spirits will inevitably remain dry and thirsty, and we will continue to draw water from different wells until the day we finally encounter Jesus.

In fact, according to some research, many believers have never truly encountered the Lord and have not had a true conversion, but only believe superficially and intellectually. This is really a pity! Let us examine our hearts to see if we have lasting peace in order to evaluate our relationship with God and whether we have complete trust in Him.

When we recognize Jesus as the unchanging goal of our lives, we also need to acknowledge our own ignorance and blind spots, and recognize that we cannot see the whole picture. Therefore, we should not pridefully judge whether God is faithful or whether He is a Saviour we can trust with our limited knowledge and experience. If we start to doubt God, He will no longer be the unshakable anchor in our lives, and we will be controlled by our wavering desires.

Reflection

Is your faith in God unwavering? Have you ever questioned if He is a faithful God?

Do you have long-term and clear goals in your life? Are they worldly goals or spiritual or godly goals?

Do you believe that when you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all the things you need will be added to you as a result?

Today’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me today that the restlessness in my life and the unquenchable desires I have are all because I have not made You the top priority in my life. I have not firmly believed that You are the best for me, and I have questioned whether You will give me the best of everything. I have not established a firm belief in You, and that is why I am swaying. Lord, please rescue me from my unbelief and strengthen my faith. Please give me a heart that longs for You so that I will not let Your desires for me go unfulfilled! I pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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