1st Peter 5:7 is one of my life verses. It was given to me by a friend when I was being baptized at the age of 20. This scripture gives us something we can do with our worries, our anxiety and all the things that make us weak in the knees. It says you can turn your worries over to God, cast them on Jesus, and give them to the One who cares for you. Humans are all about worry. Some of us worry even if there’s not a great reason to do so. Some of us worry about things long past, or things that feel beyond our control. You might think that we have a worry gene, but I’m guessing we’d be hard pressed to find it.
Granted, worry gives us something to do, while we wait for answers, try to figure out next steps, question our circumstances and even try to blame the world for our dilemma. The problem is that every bit of energy that we throw into this emotion called worry, simply can’t serve us well. Your local pharmacy can fill you with anxiety medication. Your local tavern can relieve the stress for a while. The problem is that these things don’t strengthen you and give you reason to hope. So, what can we do about worry?
We can cast our burdens on God because He’s willing to take them off our shoulders and because He loves us more than we can understand, says the Gospel writer. He sees ahead of us and behind us. He knows what we’ve been through and what’s coming. He’s there with a gift and ready to hand it over. It’s called peace of mind and heart.
It’s hard for me to imagine what people do who don’t believe God is there for them. They may find comfort in one way or another, but they still miss out on what God has to offer. If we take God at His Word, and take Him seriously, then handing over our burdens should be the first thing we do. Praying about our concerns and then leaving them with Him, will give us time to do things that are far more productive than worry can ever be. Lean on Him! Picture His strong arm, His tender grip on your life, and let Him strengthen you.
When I look back at my own life, I know there are lots of times when I didn’t have a prayer. I was weak and unable to take on the tasks assigned to me, but these days, I try harder to trust that God is working things out, even when I can’t see what He’s doing. I wish I could say I’m not a worrier, but when I feel like worry is trying to take over my day, I ask God to help me carry the burden. Now, if I could just get to the place where I cast it on Him, and let Him carry the whole burden, that would be awesome. Let’s keep in mind that God stands with us when we are weak in the knees!
Praying for your strength of mind and heart today.