No Worries (in a flawless Australian accent)

"casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." -1 Peter 5.7

The first part of this verse contains an instruction, we are cast all of our anxiety on God. The things that worry us, scare us, stress us out, or frustrate us are not burdens we have to carry, because the Bible tells us to give them over to God. The word in Greek for casting is epiriptō which means to literally and figuratively throw or place upon. Every care is to be placed upon God.

As I write this my mind keeps going to hikes with my girls. They love to hike, and I love that they love to hike; we're hoping to get out this Sunday. Both of my girls are at the age where the walk the whole trail, I have backpack carrier, but my youngest wants nothing to do with it anymore. They each have their Camelbaks which contain their water and one or two pieces of emergency gear, just to get them in the mindset of always being prepared when on the trail. They hike well, and typically I'm the one who's trying to keep up with their limitless energy, but eventually their packs get just a little heavy, and they take them off to give to me. Why? Because daddy can handle it. They take their burdens and give them to one who is strong enough to carry the weight they can't take anymore.

Anxiety is a huge burden, and it impacts every aspect of our lives. There have been times where I've been so anxious over something that it was almost debilitating. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't focus at work, and couldn't deal with school; the burden was overwhelming, but there is a source of relief and freedom. God wants us to take our anxiety and give it to Him. This is not an invitation to shirk your responsibilities or obligations, but a call to give away the burden of worry that accompanies them.

Right now I'm facing a situation that is very uncertain. I am needing to make some changes that will free me to move closer to my girls and be more involved in their lives. The reality of what this entails is terrifying, and there are so many reasons to simply stay put, do what I can from here for them, and provide in ways that meet certain needs, but not the most crucial ones. The opposite of that means trusting God, stepping out in faith, doing everything I can on my end to prepare for the door I'm asking God to open, but living in peace and placing the burden of anxiety on Him.

Everyday I'm tempted to worry about the future, but that worry is not of God, and not what I am called to live with. God can take the burden of my anxiety, and He instructs me to give it to Him.

Let us live with no worries because we have given all of them God.


Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!