Dropping Anchor

“Who is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41)

The Gospel tells us of a time when Jesus' disciples were caught in a terrifying storm. Waves crashed into their boat as the wind howled. They panicked and cried out, but Jesus was asleep. When they woke Him, He didn’t panic with them. He stood in His authority and commanded the storm, and the storm obeyed.

In their fear, the disciples revealed that they did not yet understand who Jesus was. Jesus preached on faith in parables immediately before this scene, using a number of metaphors to teach the crowd. To the disciples, though, it says he explained everything clearly. But in the next moment - one of challenge - they became frightened and panicked.

The Storm Within and Without

I love reading about the apostles because I see my own struggles reflected and get to read how very clearly Jesus loved them anyways. When chaos swirls around me, or within me, it is not my first instinct to trust that "all will be well" (in the words of Julian of Norwich). And indeed, there are periods of time in our lives and history when (at least in the immediate sense) things are very not well. And to say that or feel that is not a failure of faith, but a very real part of the experience as we grow in faith.

Again we return to the nature of our humanity which is one which is one of imperfection and opportunity. Our faith, like most other things about us, needs to be developed. We grow by asking for and receiving grace, because we cannot do this by our own will. Then we exercise that in our daily lives through intentional practice.

But when the chaos is swirling, and we need faith (and Christ) most, it is easy to mirror the apostles and panic.

Dropping Anchor: The ACT Metaphor

In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), there’s a core practice called dropping anchor. This phrase from sailing refers to an action taken to stop a boat from drifting. It doesn't stop a storm and we wouldn't expect it to. It doesn't even quiet the movement of the boat, and in a heavy storm the boat will swing around and has to still be deftly handled.

If dropping anchor in sailing secures the boat so that the captain can better ride out the storm, the same parallel is useful to describe dropping anchor as a mental practice. It doesn’t stop the storm of events around us, but it helps us stay grounded in the middle of it. It means we notice what’s happening inside us, without necessarily changing it, but bring the perspective of the observer within us who can access God, grace, and wisdom.

Dropping anchor happens in three steps, which is noted by the acronym ACE: acknowledging, coming back, and engaging.

Acknowledging

Noticing our thoughts and emotions without getting swept away by them

Coming Back

Grounding ourselves through our senses, such as feeling our feet on the floor, taking slow breaths, or naming what we see around us

Engaging

Returning to what matters, reminding ourselves of our values, our goals, and the behaviors we want to choose in the present moment

Bringing it Together

Jesus Himself invites us to this kind of anchoring. In the Gospels, the pattern which repeats itself is one of Jesus being fully emerged in his humanity, difficult feelings and thoughts and all, and then committing to follow the will of the Father. He could have chosen to not fully experience the anguish that He did, but instead He allowed himself to tremble in fear, to beg, and to sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus turned again and again to the Father, understanding His mission as our Messiah and understanding His identity as the Son. For Jesus and for us the storm is real, in us and around us, but so is our identity as beloved daughters and sons. Deeper still is the reality that we are loved, known, and never abandoned. When we remember our identity as beloved children of God, we can ride out the waves. We can drop anchor in His presence. And we can trust that the One who calms the sea also holds our hearts.