A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (August 12, 2015)
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible)
We have too many Christians that are worried, concerned and depressed about all types of situations. They are anxious about finances. They are worried about the direction of our country. They are concerned about their jobs. And the list goes on and on.
Corrie Ten Boom defined worry like this. “Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear. It is like a rocking chair. It keeps you moving but doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Proverbs 12:25 in varying translations says worry and anxiety will weigh our heart down, cause depression, rob us of our happiness, and cause us to stoop.
Believe me, I understand how worry can invade our life. But we must remember that we have a helper in all these situations and He stands ready to assist us “IF” we are willing to cast, toss, fling or pass all of our cares, anxieties, concerns, and worries to Him. In simple terms, give Him the ball! Worry is a thief of faith! It is a doorway for fear! For every minute you worry it is a minute lost in exercising your faith through prayer. Matthew 6:27 says, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” The answer to that is obviously no.
It is not that you are not concerned but at some point in your spiritual journey you need to realize that it is much easier, and much more effective, to roll things over on Him rather than carrying that heavy burden. God is much better at handling tough situations than we are and it takes that heavy load of stress and worry off your back.
We recently had a long counseling session that was a good example of this. Many good intentioned and smart people had spent an inordinate amount of time and worry on this particular situation that did not appear to be getting any better. After listening to all the facts, I did not have an answer either. So, my response was, all I know to do at this point is pray. That can sound like a religious cop-out but it’s not if you believe in casting your cares over on Him. We are so smart and we think we should be able to come up with an answer for every situation. Get real! You and I don’t have all the answers.
The next day a breakthrough came for this particular situation. Thank you Jesus!! He is so much better at handling tough situations and coming up with perfect solutions. He can speak to individuals in a way you and I can’t. He can change hearts.
He is well able to handle your situation also. Call Him up! (Jeremiah 33:3)
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4:6-7, The Message Bible)
