In 1 Peter 5:7, we read “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” Sounds simple until you try to put it into practice. When you are carrying a heart burden, a burden so close and tender to you, this command becomes a bit daunting. How in the world do you do this?
It’s like carrying a suitcase around with you…except this suitcase is different. It has a name. “BURDEN.”
Burden likes your company and wants to travel everywhere with you. It is compact and can easily fit in your car, overhead storage compartment, and under your bed. Despite the fact that Burden is sometimes cumbersome and occasionally awkward, you know that Burden likes being with you. He makes sure you never leave home without him.
Consuming your thoughts and occupying your time.
You try to leave him at home unattended, but before you know it, you’ve rushed to make a u-turn and bring Burden along. Burden likes you. A lot! Burden feels comfortable with only you. And after awhile, you’ve grown accustomed to Burden’s company, too. You’ve attempted to make Burden smaller and less conspicuous to others. You’ve tried to keep it a secret that Burden is right there by your side. When someone seems to take notice, you make excuses and justify why Burden must stay. How could you possibly live without him?
Then, you read God’s Word and you discover that you are supposed to “Cast all your burdens and anxieties on Him…Jesus.” You wake up determined to give it a try. Begrudgingly, you hand over your suitcase to Jesus, spilling out everything from within. However, reality sets in and you realize what you have done and it frightens you! Can Jesus really handle this burden? Or is it too BIG for Him? Doesn’t He need my help? Within minutes, you find yourself scrambling to pick every piece of Burden back up, off of the floor, and neatly scrunched back into your suitcase.
We cannot keep our suitcase of Burden and cast our anxieties on Him simultaneously. They cannot co-exist.
I received a message from a dear, dear friend today and she shared with me her suitcase of Burden. Strangely, we both had packed our suitcases similarly. Casting is a fishing term used in scripture to describe the action of throwing a net forcefully into the ocean. It illustrates hurling our burdens as far away from ourselves as possible. However, casting of old was not done alone. It took a group of fisherman to cast their net to sea. I cannot tell you how relieved I was today to know that my friend is now praying for me…and I for her. There is power in numbers when it comes to prayer.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
Are you lugging around a suitcase of Burden today? Don’t be afraid to ask a friend for prayer. Go ahead, baby, cast that anxiety on to Him, Jesus.