1 PETER 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
THEME OF THE DAY. NO FISHING ALLOWED. Today’s scripture is hard but doable; difficult, but encouraging; and it is one of those portions of scripture that goes a long way in helping God’s people turn back the rushing tides of sinful fear, crippling anxiety, and smothering stress in their lives.
This scripture is also familiar. Most Christians know well the latter part – casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Who has not in the midst of extreme trials creating much anxiety in our lives cried out to God, “I am giving this situation to You. I am casting these burdens on you. I cannot carry these anymore. They are too strong for me.” I am sure all of us have experienced those times in our walks with the Lord. It is part of living the Christian life and growing in the faith. However, and this gets back to my opening statement of today’s scripture being hard and difficult. It is not hard and difficult to read, but it just might be hard and difficult to live. Oh, it isn’t hard to cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you. None of us would argue how quickly we are ready to shed those trials and stresses in life. It isn’t the casting them on the Lord that is hard and difficult. It is keeping them with the Lord that is hard and difficult. Remember, we are not fishing. We are not “casting our anxieties” on the Lord, and then reeling them back to ourselves. And we know this is hard and difficult. Extremely. We have a devil and conscience that want nothing more than for us to languish in doubt and unbelief of the Lord’s care as evidenced by our anxieties we gave Him, we take back from Him. So, how do we keep from taking back the cares, burdens, and anxieties in life that we have surrendered to the Lord? A couple of things might help us.
First, realize we have no ability in ourselves to handle the cares, burdens, and anxieties in life we gave to the Lord. We are not in charge. We are not in control. We have no power to change people, circumstances, or situations. The most important lesson Christians must learn in life is submission to the Lord by realizing He, not us, is sovereign. And God will allow us to “go fishing” and reel in our burdens, cares, and anxieties that we initially gave Him to teach us lessons of our weaknesses and inabilities to handle life without Him.
Another lesson to help us keep what we gave the Lord with Him is to realize the temptation to take burdens, cares, and anxieties back upon ourselves is not a temptation to endure, but an opportunity to exercise faith in God’s person and promises. When fear grips us, anxieties seek to overwhelm us, stop and pray – “Father, thank You for caring for me. I not only refuse to take back what I have given you, but I once again re-affirm I have given them to you.” This is a prayer of faith in the God who said, “Cast all your anxieties on Me, because I care for you.”
Fishing is a great and fun sport, but not when it comes to casting life’s cares on the Lord. He tells us, “No fishing” – no reeling back what you have given Me. May He help us do so on a daily basis.
PRAYER: “Father, please help me to cast my burdens upon You and leave them there.”
QUOTE: “God will carry our burdens but we must let Him by casting them to Him, and leaving them there.”