Skip to main content

I’ve always been someone that has journaled my thoughts, prayers, dreams, plans, aspirations and words that God has given me. I think that’s why I always knew I would eventually find myself sharing my thoughts with a blog. 

Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself becoming more and more vulnerable through my writing. I found it quite cathartic. Writing down the things I have been thinking, feeling, questioning and the like.

So, I hope you don’t mind, but once again,  I’m going to share a little more of my vulnerable side with you.

I think this season I find myself in has started to take its toll a little. Yes, even for an introvert like me – there’s only so many days you can go without seeing another person face to face and giving them a big ol bear hug. Zoom and screen fatigue has once again settled in and the struggle has been real to show up.

Yet, we find the strength to carry on.

I’ve been described as an “intuitive feeler”. This means that I tend to be a person who picks up on people’s emotions and can tend to discern the spiritual atmosphere in a room full of people. So, with the weight of the world being so heavy, it’s sometimes that little bit harder to get out of the bed in the morning. On top of this I’ve been processing grief in a lockdown, and it’s true what they say, grief really does come in waves. While I’ve always been someone to push through those emotions and do what needs to be done, I’m learning more and more each day to be compassionate with myself.

However, these past few weeks, I’ve felt some anxiety and discouragement settle in. In general, I’ve felt a little lower than usual. In these times, I feel like my little discernment antenna is more in tune with God as I’ve come to realise that more often than not He is using my emotions to speak to me about certain situations, people and circumstances. Other times, I’m just a human who just feels all the feels. 

There’s been times when I’ve felt like I’m on the verge of breakthrough and then the goal posts move, and in one swoop, I  feel like I’m back at the start of the journey all over again. 

Have you ever felt like this too?

It reminds me of that childhood game Snakes and Ladders. You always wanted to avoid the snake, because if you landed on the snake head, swoosh you slid all the way down the game board, and if you were anything like me, I always ended up back near the very start of the game!

If you often feel this way too, can I encourage you to sit in those feelings, but not dwell on them, and ask God what He is trying to show you.

So, I took my own advice to process what I had been feeling and as only He can, God met me right where I was at and reminded me of this sweet Scripture

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I realised I had been feeling this way because I had been trying to carry the stress and anxiety of what I was walking through by myself.

We (and clearly I am preaching to myself here) can so often walk through seasons thinking we can do things in our own strength because we don’t want to burden those around us and sometimes, that includes God. Therefore, we don’t actually take our worries and fears to Him because we think they’re too small, or there’s more important prayers that we want God to answer, and so we don’t bother Him with the little things.

Yet, that verse right there, says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

What an incredible truth.

We can cast (which means to throw off) all (not just some of them) of our anxieties, worries, stress and fears over to God, because He cares for us.

Let that sink in for a moment.

He cares for you.

He wants to talk directly to you about whatever it is you are walking through right now.

So, next time you feel like that fear, problem, worry or anxiety is too small for God to know about, remember He cares for you. Yes, He already knows all that you are facing, but He wants to hear it from you. He wants to converse with you and He wants to lead, guide and give you peace about every situation you are facing.

Sometimes when I’m walking through some anxiety or worry, I find that I struggle to sleep. I either toss and turn all night long, or just can’t fall asleep. It’s frustrating to say the least.

However, as I pondered on 1 Peter 5:7, I’m reminded of Matthew 11:28-30, where we are invited by Jesus to find rest and peace in Him.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.””

Only Jesus can give us true rest and peace from the heavy loads that we carry. This is why He says, cast those cares on to Him. Give them all over to God – not just some of them, all of them. God wants it ALL because He cares for you and in exchange is His promise of rest and peace that surpasses all understanding.

Now that we know that God cares for us, and wants us to throw off all of our worries on to  Him so He can give us rest, how do we actually do that? How do we apply 1 Peter 5:7 to our lives daily?

Well, let’s look at 4 Ways How You Can Cast Your Cares On God.

 

1. Say It Out Loud

Tell God, out loud, exactly what your burdens are. Speaking it out and praying about it, is quite different than letting it go on around and around in your head. Trying to come up with an answer all by yourself. Worry about your circumstance isn’t going to change it, but praying about it is going to change you! There are so many Psalms written in the pit of despair, yet with the cries for help, came cries of praise. Are you praising God in the pit? Have you prayed about it more than you’ve worried about it?

The safest place to be in these times is in God’s presence. In our weakness, we find our strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 

2. Soak Up Scripture

There is nothing like being in God’s Word to heal your heart. If you have a specific need, look for verses that speak about it. If you’re not sure how to find these verses, the simplest way is to google “Bible verses on…” Most Bible’s also have a concordance in them, which lists out certain words and subjects that you can look up.

Once you’ve found your verses, write them down, start praying them over your situation and begin to commit them to memory. When you look at your fears, worries and situations in light of God’s Truth, they will seem small and insignificant compared to all that God can do in the matter.

 

3. Worship Over Worry

When we are going through something, our focus and attention are solely on it. The truth is, we can become a little self centred. It’s all about what we are going through, our problem, our circumstances, our fears and feelings. When we stop, and turn our focus and attention back to God in worship, and fix our gaze upon Him, He is able to move. You might not see your breakthrough straight away, but focusing on Him allows you to see your circumstances in a different light.

 

4. Surround Yourself With Community

You have been created for community. Which means, you aren’t suppose to carry your burdens alone (I’m preaching to myself here too). Find yourself one or two people who you deeply trust and share what you are walking through and allow them to speak truth into the situation. Having powerful prayer warriors in the storm who will encourage you and keep you accountable is just one way that we can carry a lighter load.

As Proverbs 27:17 says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

 

So, take heart friend. If you have found this week somewhat heavy and have been left feeling anxious or worried, take hold of God’s promise today. Cast all of those cares upon Him, because He cares for and loves you!

Have a beautifully blessed week,

 

Leave a Comment