“Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7
Cast your cares on Him! What a simple and powerful response to life’s worries! We may often think, “easier said than done.” But nonetheless, this is indeed God’s way for you and for me.
Why is this so difficult? I have discovered two reasons we find difficulty in truly giving our cares or worries over to God. First, we desire to manage the worries ourselves by taking the matter into our own hands instead of waiting on God. Second, we simply struggle to trust God. And, of course, the first is always driven by the second.
What is God’s remedy for our worries? Worry represents a significant enemy to our faith. And, the Bible instructs us to cast our cares and worries on God. I Peter 5:7 actually states a completed action that translates, “having cast your cares upon Him.” In view of the immediate context, I Peter 5:6 states, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the right time.” Following this comes our verse for the moment: “having already cast your cares on Him.” Casting our cares and worries on God demonstrates the proper humility of self before God. The term cast gives the picture of throwing something with force. The way we confront the worries of life is by falling before God in desperate dependence upon Him. This renders the picture of one who finally gives up carrying a load that he or she was never intended to carry, thus dropping everything before God.
What does Jesus say about our worries? In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus reminded His disciples not to allow the cares of the world to incite their souls to worry. “Do not worry,” Jesus said. In this gentle exhortation, God’s Son pointed out the needless activity spent over concerns of the world with, “your Father in Heaven knows what you need.”
As demonstrated in the parable of the sower, Jesus explained that worries can choke out the effectiveness of God’s Word like thorns choke the life out of otherwise healthy plants.
But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Mark 4:19)
Worries are indeed spiritually debilitating, for such inflated concerns can become greater influences than God’s very promises. Jesus remedied such worries with the simple instruction: seek first the things of God – His Kingdom. An intentional focus upon what God desires for you takes your interests off concerns that God has already promised to satisfy, and your interests rest solely upon honoring and pleasing God in every part of life. However, when we worry, faith lies dormant as we relinquish our calling to obey the Father and become subdued by unnecessary matters.
Our response? First, unload the cares and worries. Drop them before God as a sign that you are totally, completely, and helplessly dependent upon Him. Make this a matter of prayer. Write out a list of the sources of your worries today (the things over which you worry), and then pray a prayer of surrender to God over each one, asking God to take the burden. Remember that casting your cares should represent a completed action. Don’t’ pick them back up. Second, recommit to seeking God’s Kingdom over all things. Preoccupy your mind and heart with the heart of God: what He desires of you and for you. This refocusing of priorities should be initiated every morning. Today, at this very moment, ask God to recalibrate your mind and heart on what He wants for you today.
Countless opportunities are before you to “rethink” your day through God’s Kingdom view instead of through the all too easy and debilitating default of worry. Don’t worry about anything. Trust God.
So today, have faith in His care over your life, for indeed “HE CARES FOR YOU!” There is indeed no greater reason not to worry.
Blessings,
Ken
