1 Peter 5:7-10 - Cast and Release

So, lately, I've realized that I have wandered far away from some of my hobbies, like writing and reading. And even though blogging has become archaic, replaced with cheap and quick counterparts like Tumblr, Twitter, and even Facebook, I decided to get back to this—not for anyone out there exactly—but for me. This is a good place for me to sort out my thoughts.

About a week and half ago, I was out jogging in the morning, and I was sad. Even though I've been told my entire life that exercise makes you happy because it gives you endorphins, I'm here to tell you that you can exercise and still be sad. There I was, sweating away to a random playlist on my I-Phone, trying to give some things to God, and all I wanted to do was hold on to each and every care. I'm not an emotional person. Ask my friends. I'm a big fan of logic driven decisions, but I'm not going to lie. While I was gasping for air, I wanted to let my emotions run rampant, when I felt like God started speaking 1 Peter 5:7 to me. You have probably heard some version of this verse, "Cast your cares on me, because I care for You." That's what I heard, over and over during my jog.

When I got home, I Googled the reference because I had no idea where the verse was, and I started reading all of 1 Peter 5. That's when I had an epiphany about how simplistic this whole process of casting cares really can be if we don't give up.

Anyway getting back to 1 Peter, I was struck by the juxtaposition of this warm and fuzzy verse of comfort right next to a verse of caution. Immediately after we give our cares to God, Peter emphasizes how important it is that we be on guard against the attacks of the enemy. So often, when I give my cares to God, I do one of two things. First, I either take the care back immediately, so I can begin to worry about it, or, I forget about it completely. I'm really good at divorcing myself from difficult situations, because it's an easy way to cope. But I don't think either of these solutions is what Peter was talking about. He tells us to cast our cares on God, and to be looking out for the devil who prowls like a lion. It doesn't take long to be devoured by worry, fear, and anxiety. Trust me. I know.

It's easy to give our cares to God, but it's not so easy to follow through. We have a responsibility to take action. First, we give our cares to God, but then, it's our job to stand firm on the promises of God regarding those cares. What has God spoken over my life? The lives of my family? What does He say in the Bible? Am I burying my head in the sand because it's too painful to deal with or am I constantly worrying about the difficulties of this life? The truth of the matter is that I don't have to do either. If I remember to cast my cares on to God and I persistently believe and hold fast to the promises of God, then His promise in 1 Peter 5 will come to pass: "... he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 

Take time today to find a promise in the Bible to memorize and cling to. It's not difficult to do. The first one I found was in Proverbs 19:21, which basically says, you can make all the plans that you want, but the LORD's purposes will prevail. Go ahead. You can borrow this one.

I was talking to my good friend about the question that trips so many people up: why doesn't God stop bad things from happening to people? We all have our answer to this question. Free will, blah, blah, blah. But in that conversation I said that I wish I had all the answers, but I don't. I only know that the truth of God's word is what I have to hold on to. And in these coming months, while I find myself in a season of waiting, I'm going to be holding on to the promises that God has made to me.