1 Peter 5:6-7

“6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Living a fear free life starts with surrendering to the Savior, which leads to a humble heart that is willing to:

• Cast the care

The Bible reminds us here that we will all have worry but as believers we don’t have to carry our care. Many people falsely believe that once they are saved it will be smooth sailing, but in fact the storms often seem to get more severe. Peter is pointing out that trusting in God doesn’t offer a trouble free life. Salvation doesn’t guarantee the good life or a groan free life it offers us God, it’s not the absence of problems but the power of His presence. As Christians we are not called to carry but to cast our cares. Both casting and carrying take effort, it’s just that one frees us from continually trying to continually trusting and the other forces us from trusting to a life of trying. When we chose to carry instead of cast we end up trading freedom for fetters. Carrying brings bondage but casting brings blessing. This word “casting” comes from a Greek verb that was used of casting garments onto a beast of burden. Instead of us carrying the care we let Christ carry it. Casting our cares is not only a result of humbleness but a requirement of humbleness. Casting our cares upon the Lord means that we trust the promise that He cares for us. Christ desires deeply to carry our cares, as Isaiah 53:4 says “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”  and He has invited us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30. The truth is that we will cast in proportion to our trust. Often the real reason that we carry our cares is because we don’t trust Christ. Do you not only believe but also trust that the Lord has the power, wisdom, and ability to use your “struggles, suffering, trials and troubles” to work for your good and His glory? Casting literally means to fling or to throw, instead of trying to shoulder your sorrow give it to God. Many of us are toting our troubles around instead of tossing them. The Antidote to anxiety is not only admitting our need for the Almighty but leaving our anxiety with the Almighty. Are you distressed? Then cast your cares on Christ.  Are you discouraged? Cast your discouragement on Christ.  Are you in despair? Then cast your desperation on Christ.  Are you hurting? Then cast your pain upon Christ. Are you fearful? Cast your fear upon Christ. So often we are quick to complain but slow to cast. Why would we waste our energy complaining when we could be casting? Because often what we really seeking is sympathy not a solution. But sympathy doesn’t solve your sadness, instead of seeking people to feel bad for you why not seek the Father to carry your burdens for you. The verb “casting” is in a form that refers to a one time process. This is a once and for all casting, in other words when you throw your troubles make sure you let go. Many of us are wasting our energy because while we cast we never really let go. When we don’t let go we end up casting our cares only to reel them back in. Instead of finding freedom we find ourselves fishing in a pond where the only fish we will catch are the very fears we just gave to the Father. When the worries of life come we don’t have to bear them alone, we serve a Savior who is stronger than us and cares enough to carry our load. We are not told to “cast some of our cares upon the Lord”. We are not told to cast “most of our cares upon the Lord” We are not even told to “cast our biggest burdens upon the Lord”. We are called to “CAST ALL OUR CARES UPON HIM” Often we transfer part of our burdens to Him and keep part to ourselves, not fully trusting that He can handle them all. What worries are you holding onto? Are you bringing all your burdens to God not just the big ones? When it comes to our problems we are not called to partner with God and take a portion of them ourselves.  God desires for us to trust and turn all of our cares over to Him. Nothing is too big for God nor is anything too small. Luke 12:6-7 tells us that He cares for a single sparrow and knows the very number of the hairs of our heads. Why should we cast our cares on Christ? Because He cares for us. God cares for you, He loves you and He longs to take care of you. The word for care here means, to be concerned. Christ is concerned about us, which means that our confidence comes from the fact that our Creator is concerned for His creation. There is no promise of being released from any difficulties; the comfort comes in knowing who is concerned about us, God Himself. Our confidence and comfort doesn’t come from a trouble free life it comes from the Creator of life. Our part of the process is to believe, to bow and to bring our burdens to Him, its letting Christ be in control of our lives. It’s a choice we make, it’s not based on positive thinking, believing in myself, or sticking your head in the sand and pretending there is no problem, it’s based on who He is. Our part is being humble, not a passive resignation, but an active cooperation. Casting our anxiety on God involves throwing our cares, it takes effort on our part. The casting is not up to God, we have to take action. If we don’t worry will strangle and suffocates our lives. It will ruin our relationships as it robs us of life and joy. It doesn’t just drain us physically and emotionally it strangles us spiritually, our devotion to God declines and we begin to doubt His promises and forget His faithfulness. Anxiety steals our contentment, our confidence and our ability to trust God. Are you trusting in His faithfulness and walking by faith or fretting? There is a Swedish Proverb that says, “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” Are you clouding up your life with cares and living in the shadows or casting them on Christ and living in His light?