Hebrews 4:15 explains that we have a High Priest who understands our weaknesses. Part of the purpose of Christ taking on flesh was to walk in our shoes. Christ can relate to the human experience because He took on flesh and walked among us. He knows what it means to be weary, to be rejected, to be tempted, to suffer, and to hurt. He understands the burdens that weigh us down and the pains that keep us awake at night. And because He understands, He invites us to come boldly to Him (Heb. 4:15–16). He invites us to come with our burdens. He calls us to cast all—not a few or some, but all—our cares upon Him. Why? Because He cares for us.
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you”
1 Peter 5:7.
And I like how Scripture does not hide the fact that we will have anxieties. So long as we remain in the flesh and live in this world, there will always be something that can cause us concern. It could be your career, your future, your children, or even the feeling that school is becoming a little tougher by the day. But the fact that these anxieties will come does not mean that we are expected to carry them alone. We must learn to take those burdens to the One who has invited us to cast them upon Him. (Ps. 55:22)
Jesus tells His disciples not to be anxious about what they will eat, drink, or wear (Matt. 6:25-34). Yes, anxiety may come, but we mustn’t let it take control of us. The God who so carefully cares for the flowers of the field surely will not leave His people stranded. He reminds them that if God cares so much for the birds of the air that He provides for them, how much more will He care for us, whom He took His time to create?
The place where some believers miss it is in thinking they cannot bring their troubles before God. It is a deceit from the devil to think that God cares less about what we go through. An understanding of Scripture proves otherwise (Php. 4:6-7). We see in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 that Paul spoke with God concerning a certain thorn in his flesh. Instead of allowing the burden to overpower him, he dragged it before God. It was through that communication that he came to understand what God was asking of him in that season.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
The way we liberate ourselves from anxiety is by casting those worries on Him. This was the concept that the Israelites failed to grasp and ended up committing the sin of unbelief. Instead of presenting their worries and troubles to God, they allowed despair to overwhelm them to the point of doubting God. (Ps. 78:19-22, Heb. 3:19)
David had learnt very early on in his life to cast his cares upon the Lord. The book of Psalms is full of David’s praises to God. But it is also full of his prayers, casting his burden on the Lord (Ps. 62:8). There was no challenge he considered too small or too bothersome to take to God. And I believe this is the kind of relationship God desires to have with us—a relationship where we know that we can bring everything to Him.
It is Jesus who said, “Come unto me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). The way we access the rest, ease, and peace of God is when we come to Him, burdened as we are. Like that Michelangelo painting, where God reaches out His hand towards man, God has already extended His hand towards us, but we must willingly reach back. We must bring our burdens to Him. And when we do, Scripture says He will sustain us (Psalm 55:22).
I don’t know what lie the enemy has sold to you, but I want you to always remember that God cares for you. He wants you to feel welcome to share your anxieties with Him, and when you do, He wants you to trust that it is sorted because He cares for you.
The scripture says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19). The righteous person knows where to run in times of despair. Such a person makes it a habit to run to God.
Elijah cast his burden on God. Jezebel had threatened to kill him, and he, worn out and exasperated, ran to God. He asked God to take his life, but God cared for him instead. Elijah thought he needed the situation to end; God knew that, in that moment, what he needed was rest, nourishment, and His presence. To the ordinary eye, these may not have looked like a solution, but God, who knows us and knows exactly where to meet our needs, knew what Elijah needed in that moment. That is the benefit of casting our cares on God: He knows exactly how to help us through our troubles. (1 Kin. 19:1–8)
However, casting your cares upon God doesn’t mean “God, here is my problem; now solve it the way I want.” It means “Lord, this is too heavy for me. I give it to You. Whatever You choose to do with it, I trust You.”
Before Peter tells us to cast our cares on God, he tells us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet. 5:6-7). The person who is not humble under God will find it hard, if not impossible, to cast their cares on Him. You must remain submitted to God’s Lordship over your life before you can efficiently cast your cares on Him. Why?
Because many times, when we cast our cares on Him, the way God gives us peace over that thing causing anxiety is to give instruction. If we are unable to take the instruction, we will never be able to fully let go of that anxiety. Looking at Paul’s case, God’s response to Paul’s challenge was to remain there, trusting in His grace. Despite Paul’s begging, God did not take the thorn away; instead, He supplied him with grace to see the challenge through (2 Cor. 12:8-10). A person who is submitted to God is better able to accept whatever instruction God gives. It is this kind of submission that enables us to receive the peace that comes with casting that burden on God.
Whenever you feel like you’re starting to panic about your future, your life, your health, anything at all, don’t entertain that anxiety. Report the matter to the Lord immediately. Take it to Him. Leave it with Him. And trust that the God who cares for you also knows exactly what to do with what you have placed in His hands.
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