Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 KJV)
I recently experienced one of life’s hiccups. I found myself perplexed and losing quite a bit of sleep. Worry was a constant companion and reminder that this hardship was still unresolved despite my efforts. I turned to my closest friends and shared my plight, looking to hear their wisdom. Unfortunately, they gave me a listening ear and sympathetic reassurance, but they didn’t give me guidance.
This cycle went on for a while. I talked to friends, family, spouse, etc., and it always ended the same. They offered sympathy, which was what they had to offer, but no one had the answer I needed. One day God gently spoke to me and asked, “When are you going to talk to Me about it?”
I instantly felt ashamed. Truth is, we often turn to our close friends and family in areas where God should be our guide. Who better to give us wisdom and guidance than the One who knows all things? This doesn’t mean that God can’t use others to give us guidance because we see evidence in the scriptures. God can and will use others to be a source of guidance for us, but this should happen after we have turned to Him as our primary source. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
The word “cast” literally means to throw, but there is a small difference between “casting” and “throwing.” In several scriptures in the Bible, the word casting is used in the context of permanently ridding oneself of an unpleasant object or situation. It conveys finality. The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37 presents a good example. The Bible says in the 24th verse, “and they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.” They had intentions of permanently ridding themselves of their little brother.
When we understand that God wants us to “cast our cares” upon Him, He wants us to see this as a permanent act. The thing that worries us or causes us to be discontent can be cast upon our omnipotent, omniscient God, and we never have to revisit it again!
That’s what we do in prayer. We cast our cares upon God, not just because He invites us to do so, but because we know that He can handle it. Do you have a problem that you can’t solve yourself? Do you have a concern that consumes your thoughts and steals your sleep? I invite you to talk to God about it. As you pray, don’t just mention it, but cast your concerns upon Him!
Questions to consider:
What things have you cast upon God before, and what was the outcome?
How can you encourage others to cast their cares upon God?
Let’s pray.
Dear God, I admit that I did not come to You as soon as I should have. I know that You stand ready and willing to guide me through life’s difficulties, but as a human I looked to another human in hopes of gaining a quick solution or outlook. Forgive me. Help me to cast my cares upon You and not look to others to do the job that You have already committed to. Lord, I trust You with my problems and their solutions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.