Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Saturdays always seem to be a workday around our house. We always seem to have projects and lists of things to do to keep up our home. Caulking, painting, cleaning, washing, sorting, folding, and other items always find their way on the list of things to do. I bet some of you are like me. Many of you are like me after a long week. You like to have a rest day somewhere in your week. A week without rest becomes a restless week, and nobody wins when you have a week like that.
I will tell you the older I get, the more I enjoy restful days. We become physically and spiritually weary without rest. So how many of you take time to rest? How many of you never take time to rest or relax? I know. You say, “I’m just always driven to do and do and do.” That’s good for a season, but eventually, you will either burn out or blow up. That’s why you need to rest. And spiritual peace will give you satisfying rest.
What I want you to see today is that physical rest is a result of spiritual peace. The two go hand in hand.
Rest by Casting
There is no doubt in my mind that many of us are going through some spiritual battles and valleys in your mind and soul. The uncertainty of days ahead and trying to figure out when is the best time to visit older family members to keep them from potentially becoming sick is difficult for many of us during these uncertain times. I’m facing the same issue with my parents. However, it is critical to understand that we don’t have to do those things alone. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us that we can cast our anxieties on Jesus. The meaning of cast is to throw forcefully. Throw your worries on Jesus.
This is a great promise because anxiety is something each of us deals with in some way. We can say everything is fine, but inside we are struggling to make it another day. We don’t understand the inequity around the nation and the hundreds of problems we face each day. But there is great hope because Jesus wants to take those things away from us. Worry is not how He wants us to live our lives. He wants us to live by casting those worries on Him.
Let Him deal with them. Let Him figure those things out.
When we come to realize that is what He desires, we are so much better off than we once were. We will then live in an inexplicable peace.
Rest by Understanding
Understanding what? It is critical to understand that Jesus cares for you. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus cares for me. But, I often have to be reminded when I become anxious or feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I generally begin to take on things I need to cast. But then I begin to think and remember that Jesus cares for me. He doesn’t want me to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. He doesn’t want you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Jesus wants to care for you. Let Him. It’s what He wants. He is concerned about you and cares for you. He cares for you more than anyone ever could. Why is this important? Because when someone infinitely cares for you, they will always have your best interest in mind, and I promise that your best interest is to cast your anxieties onto Him.
Death in the family? Cast it. Lost your job? Cast it. Physically worn out? Cast it. Tension in the home? Cast it. Car broken down? Cast it. Spiritually down? Cast it.
Are you ready for that? The only way you’ll find the rest you need is to cast your anxieties on Jesus.
He cares for you!