“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Anxiety is our human way of trying to figure out how to control a situation we believe could occur in the future or effect change in a situation that has already taken place. Many people worry about getting in a car accident or having enough money to send their children to college. Worrying will not keep you from getting into a car accident, actually actively worrying while driving may cause an accident. Worrying does not place money in an account for your child’s college fund. Some students worry about how they did on a test. Their worrying will not change the answers they already gave.
Peter writes “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” The Greek word for ‘cast’ in this verse is ‘epiripto’. This word means that a person was ‘casting’ like someone does when they purposely throw their fishing line into the water or like when they are throwing a ball to another person. A purposeful action of giving it to someone else or placing it somewhere else. When referring to our worries, it would mean to purposefully throw them or give them to someone else or to purposely place them somewhere else. There is a trick to this idea of casting our anxieties though and that is that once we cast them we need to not go get them, bring them back and then hold onto them.
For clarification, the word ‘him’ refers to God. God truly cares for each and every one of us, not just the people living at the time. He sent Jesus to pay the final and permanent price for OUR sins. He had not committed a sin before He came down or while He was here, yet He willingly let the Roman guards beat Him and nail Him to a cross. He then remained on the cross until the payment was made, until there would be no further payment needed for sin, except repentance. This was all done before we were ever born or committed a sin of our own.
When I think of this, I am humbled. To think that God, the Creator of the universe, cares enough about me to want to spend eternity with me. That He wants that so much that He made a way for me to be able to do that – by accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. That is who I believe I can give all my anxieties to, knowing that He is on my side, knows what is best for me, and will provide peace to me.
Below are some questions that you can answer. Again, I would love to hear your responses if you are willing to put them in the comments section. If you don’t want to leave them where others can read them, you can private message me on my Facebook page ‘For His Honor.’
What do you worry about?
What anxieties have you laid down at God’s feet, just to pick them back up again?
What do you think will bring you peace?
Who do you think has all the answers you seek?