Tuesday, November 15, 2011

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting


“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

“Do not worry,” is one of the bible’s most direct and common exhortations.  Why is something as commonplace as anxiety such a regular topic?  I look at it like this, Jesus came to give us an abundant life – the thief comes to steal that abundant life away.  One of the enemy’s best tools is worry.  It’s awfully hard to live an abundant and thankful life when we are constantly anxious about things. 

Just to be clear, the bible never says that there aren’t things worry about.  There are many things that are worry worthy: financial troubles, terrorist attacks, disease, will anyone want to marry me, will I ever graduate, what am I going to do with my life, my parents marriage is falling apart, the dentist, and on and on.  This world creates things to worry about every day – but that doesn’t mean that those worries have to consume our lives. 

Anxiety is the product of taking your problems too seriously and God too lightly. God created the universe with a word; He can handle your issue – regardless of how big it is.  And that is the truth we need to internalize: God is greater than our worries, anxiety, or fears.  By taking our cares to God, we confess that He is greater than our concerns, He is capable of fixing what we worry about, and He will give us the strength to endure the anxious times.  God becomes our focus instead of our worries.  As a buddy of mine says, “Too often, we gaze at our problems and glance at God – we should gaze at God, and glance at our problems.”

If you are a worrier, try this: every time you notice that you are anxious about something, let that be your cue to give that stressor to God.  It is an easy way to train your mind to place your concerns under the Lordship of Christ.  And hopefully, your bad habit of worrying will be replaced by the very good habit of praying.   

God cares for you.  It’s an amazing thought isn’t it?  “God cares” has two meanings: 1. He provides for your needs, and 2. He loves you.  Allow God the freedom to care for you – take all your cares to Him. He is not too busy for you!

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy”. - Leo Buscaglia

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