Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
July 29, 2024
This Week's Anchor
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord
your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Have you ever felt like a part of you was missing? Seasons where all the energy you have is directed at surviving. Where the days roll into weeks, and the weeks into months, you go about things moment to moment on autopilot, but something feels off. And you feel ungrounded as if you’re wandering about your life…Even the strongest Christ-followers feel lost at some point in their journeys. For anyone in this space right now, I hope you feel just a bit more encouraged as you wade through the barren moments of life.
I was recently re-inspired by one of my favorite Netflix series, The Crown. Characterized as a historical drama, this series illustrates the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II. Frankly, as a Black woman in America, I never considered myself personally interested in the affairs of the British monarchy; however, this series does a great job at contextualizing and humanizing these mysterious figures, and a particular moment shared by a younger Prince Philip is unexpectedly moving regarding the power of faith. In this story, Prince Philip shares the disillusionment he experiences after having a long-anticipated meeting with the Apollo 11 crew after their return from the moon. Philip hoped to feel meaningfully connected to the crew’s experience; however, he left the conversation disappointed in realizing the crew’s disconnection from the deeper spiritual meaning of the mission. Following this encounter, Philip realized his experience with feeling lost, and in a support group with priests, he shared feeling as though he hit a life crisis, where one “Looks in all the usual places and resorts to all the usual things to try and make yourself feel better.” His mother, who died not long before, noticed his concerning state, and in this moment in, he shares:
“She [his mother] saw that something was amiss. It’s a good word…a-miss…She saw that something was missing in her youngest child. Her only son… [it was] Faith. ‘How’s your faith?’ she asked me…I’m here to admit to you that I’ve lost it. And without it, what is there? The loneliness and emptiness and anticlimax of going all that way to the moon to find nothing but haunting desolation, ghostly silence, and gloom. That is what faithlessness is. As opposed to finding wonder, ecstasy, the miracle of Divine creation, God’s design, and purpose. What am I trying to say? I’m trying to say that the solution to our problems, I think, is not in the ingenuity of the rocket, or the science or the technology or event or the bravery. No, the answer is in here, or here, or wherever it is that faith resides. And so...I now find myself full of respect and admiration, and not a small part of desperation as I come to say, help…Help me.” [abbreviated in this devotion for clarity; click this link for more info on this series]
To be real, in no way did I ever expect to resonate with the late Prince Philip, but what a powerful moment and message. This is life. For those of us who have a relationship with the Holy Trinity, without God and our faith, our lives are dull. Even when we have a million eyes watching us or a community of folks surrounding us, life can be incredibly lonely and desolate. It’s our faith that keeps us cozy, encouraged, and anchored, and there are moments in our lives when nothing, but our faith can sustain us. With the exhaustion, stress, grief, and everything else, even the most grounded will at times feel lost like Prince Philip. Nevertheless, our God sees us. He hears us. He feels our pain. And when we wonder and wander, He is never far.
When I first watched this episode, I ended it in tears, feeling deeply grateful for the faith God has buried deep in my soul and thankful to my ancestors for passing this gift of faith on to me through many generations. I couldn’t help but think about all the moments in my life, past and present, where this faith sustained me. Despite how depleted, isolated, misunderstood, and traumatized we sometimes feel, even when we don’t have the energy to muster up faith ourselves, the Holy Trinity will give us a sense of hope and faith deep in our spirit that helps us carry on. This world can be dark and full of doom, and also, when our faith anchors us, this world can be full of awe, mystery, and beauty. Our faith makes life worth it. Our faith makes life meaningful. Our faith gives us purpose.
Aren’t you grateful for this gift called Faith? As we enter this week, I hope we all are inspired by our faith-relationship with the Holy Trinity, remembering that even when we drift, we are still tethered. Our anchor scripture reminds us that God will never leave nor forsake us. Even when we wander, He is still there, waiting for us with welcomed arms. When we find ourselves feeling amiss, may we have the courage to desperately run to God, humbly asking, “Help me.”
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity in moments when you feel amiss?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Isaiah 41:10
Jeremiah 29:11
Ezekiel 34:16
Luke 19:10
Philippians 4:6-7
2 Timothy 4:17
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“You never find yourself until you face the truth.”
Pearl Bailey
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