PEACE
1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Reflections: Throughout the Bible, we see frequent mention of the “sister sins” worry and anxiety. I think that these themes are so prevalent because God knows that life can be hard, and that we will, at some point, have to face challenges that make us anxious and cause us to agonize over the burdens we must carry. God also knows that in many cases, these burdens are too much for us to bear alone, and that is why each of these references in the scripture is paired with an invitation to LET THE BURDENS GO.
Peter, for example, encourages us to cast all our cares on the Lord because He LOVES us (1 Peter 5:7), and Jesus Himself offers to be our burden bearer (Matthew 11:28-30). So why do we still insist on carrying the load ourselves?
During our quiet time, when we are completely focused on God, it’s easy to leave our burdens on the altar and trust God to intercede on our behalf; but as we rise and go about our day, reminders of those troubles often cause us to “pick them back up,” and with them, our worry and anxiety. The reality is that giving our cares to the Lord is often a choice we must make countless times each day. And in those moments of doubt and worry, when we want so badly to peek over at the altar to see how our troubles are doing, we must be deliberate about keeping our “eyes” focused on God and not our problems.
Keep in mind, though, that this process is not an excuse to abdicate personal responsibility for the issues in our lives. It does, however, entail trusting God enough to accept the peace He offers as He walks with us through the struggle, and believing His promise that though we may suffer a little while, in time, He will restore us to a place where we are strong, firm, and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10).
See Also:
1 Peter 5:10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”
Song: Let Go by DeWayne Woods
Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!
Shine Your Light!
Exposed: Everything is Illuminated 