1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
In the past I've shared how I overcame panic attacks almost 16 years ago through the truth of these words of Peter. This was truly an amazing time in my life.
But of course these words of Peter don't just apply to those dealing with panic/anxiety attacks. They are great words of encouragement to anyone dealing with any sort of worry, care, anxiety, depression, burden, weakness... you name it. In my testimony that can be found by clicking the above link, I shared how I mentally pictured myself laying my anxiety at the feet of Jesus, handing it over to Him. At the time that is truly what changed everything for me. It really did "jump-start" a life of trust in Him that I had never lived with before.
Since that time, I've definitely dealt with various other cares and worries, and I've found that casting our cares on the Lord is not always quite as simple as picturing it in this way. I still do this at times, and I've even been led by the Lord to lead others in small group settings in an "exercise" in which we close our eyes and picture ourselves handing our burdens and cares over to the Lord. What a release of burdens, guilt, worries, etc, that I've seen come out of these times!
But yet I am interested to hear from others, the ways in which you've been able to cast your cares upon Him. I often tell people that I pretty much live a stress-free life these days. It's not because I don't have problems or because all my circumstances in life are exactly the way I want them to be. Rather, I attribute much of this simply to the fact that there is an ongoing conversation between me and my Father. There's nothing that He doesn't know about me and there's nothing I can say that will ever surprise Him, so I'm just honest with Him! In this way, my burdens and cares seem to be 'released' to Him through simple conversation. Through that "jump-start" 16 years ago, a life of trust began, and I guess it's simply evolved into what it is today through a growing process.
I've come to understand that my life is always in Him, 100% of the time! There are never two sets of footprints in the sand and there never will be. He is carrying me all the time.
Another cool thing is that from time to time the Lord plans a much larger giving over of my burdens to Him when I'm not even expecting it! He knows me better than I know myself, that's for certain! I'll read something or I'll hear something and it will seem just as if a cork pops open or a pressure valve is released that I didn't even know was stopping the flow of the abundant life! He's so very faithful.
What experiences have you had, what words of wisdom do you have, what Bible verses would you like to share... that speak to the giving over of our cares, burdens, worries, etc, to the Lord?
