“For the sense and reason of the flesh is death,
but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.”
(Romans 8:7 TPT)
Last Saturday I attended a retreat where I heard a speaker use a verse I’ve heard plenty of times: cast your cares on God. Unless you have completed the journey into being fully Christ-like, I expect you might have a few “cares” that you think about, at least occasionally. You may be a “pro” at immediately casting them on Jesus, or you may be more like me – needing to be reminded that I don’t have to carry the burdens of my world. Either way, the invitation is there: we can (and should) allow Jesus to carry your burdens.
Kelly Willard’s song based on 1 Peter 5:17 says,
I cast all my cares upon You
I lay all of my burdens
Down at Your feet
And anytime that I don’t know
What to do
I will cast all my cares upon You*
When I looked up 1 Peter 5:17 in different translations, I found that each version has a slightly different “flavor” on the idea of giving our anxieties, worries, stress, fears, and cares to him. But every verse conveys the idea that it is because God cares for us we can give him our worries.
“Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 GW)
“Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 GNT)
“Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ISV)
“Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.” (1 Peter 5:7 MSG)
“Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 TPT)
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP)
Take a moment and reread the verses above – maybe reread them more slowly.
Let the words sink into the places in your spirit that struggle with worry, fears, and other cares.
Hear again the invitation of God to throw them and then leave them with him, to pour out your worries and stress on him, to turn all your anxiety over to him – all so you can live carefree – FREE! – before God.
Sometimes we have been giving God our cares and see no results. Our invitation is to trust him and his timing.
Sometimes those cares/fears/worries seem to be multiplying like weeds or mosquitoes. Our invitation is to trust God to be the worry-killer.
Sometimes the “what if’s” seem to be running the show in our thoughts. Our invitation is to trust God to take care of the unknowns.
Our invitation is to do what we know to do today – not to press into the potential worries of tomorrow. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:34 (NIV), “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Ask God for grace to not worry about tomorrow, but to be present to the good, glory-filled, and wondrous things of today. Ask God to help you release the worries, fears, and anxiety of tomorrow and next week and next month and next year………… to him. Why? Because he cares for us.
And, yeah, if you’re wondering if I write some of these devotions/prayers for me, myself, and I….well, um, yes. I have relationships, concerns, deadlines, work to do, and other things that can rob me of my peace if they control my mind. Perhaps, you, too, struggle in these areas, at least a little. I know I (and perhaps you, too??) need to hear (again and again) Jesus’s invitation to let him carry my (our) burdens, fears, and cares.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thank you for your tender care and deep affection for us. Thank you for your invitation to live in freedom as we trust you and give you all our burdens, fears, and cares. Thank you that when we trust you with these things our minds can be controlled by Spirit and find life and peace. Help us to truly and fully give to you our cares, burdens, and fears and not try to pick them back up again. Help us to trust you for what we need today and not worry about tomorrow. Help us be present to the beauty, wonder, and glory of this day. Help us to stand firm in your freedom, living by your Word, and not be enslaved or burdened except your Spirit and your Truth. Help us to be peaceful people – within and without – and to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. We ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV)
“I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.” (Psalm 119:45 NLT)
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” (Isaiah 61:1 NIV)
“For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.” (John 8:32 TPT)
*”Cares Chorus” by Kelly Willard, © 1978 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)