“…Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you.” - I Peter 5:7
Imagine yourself adrift upon a sea of trouble, tossed furiously by its waves and sinking under the load of care. Along comes Jesus inviting you to cast every care upon Him and guide your ship into the current of His protective care. What nobility would there be in continuing your present course, in being capsized by the waves, or sunk by the load? It would be presumptuous and foolish to refuse His rescue, but we so refuse throughout the course of our lives preferring to carry our concerns alone as if there were some reward for useless anxiety at the end of the journey.
No one is totally exempt from anxiety. Some people have learned to manage it while others ignore it. Still others labor under its oppressive load and are haunted by its tormenting voice. Anxieties, worry, and care haunt those who lives are dominated by worry and compulsively dwell on “negative faith.” It is negative because it focuses on the worst. It is faith because it believes that no matter what, that which is most dreaded will come to pass.
The answer to anxiety is neither management entirely, willful ignorance nor oppression. The answer is to cast it upon the loving, strong arms of a God, who cares for us and is adequate to meet all of our needs in spite of us,
This great word of comfort is preceded by verse 6 and can be accomplished only by first doing what it commands.
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time..." - I Peter 5:6
It is a call to humble ourselves under God’s almighty hand so that the lifting up can and will be done by Him. When I walk among the wonders of nature, I become aware of two great theological truths. First, there is a God. Second, it’s not me. I must come to understand my inadequacy to change the circumstances that are beyond my control and agonize my soul.
Once I have come to grips with that reality and humble myself in His presence, He can lift me above the fear to positive faith where I can know the joy of the companion verse to this:
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."- Psalm 55:22.
The Hebrew word for cast means to dispose of something - to throw it out - to toss it.
The psalmist knew that when the humble person casts his or her burdens on God, His sustaining power kicks in and the righteous simply do not fall. We may be shaken, bombarded, assaulted, beaten, bent, swayed, scarred, and wounded, but we remain standing.
Might bad things happen?
Of course. You can pretty much count on them.
Will they defeat us? Never !
Cast those cares on God. He cares for you.
