A Good Word
A Ministry of Encouragement
editors
Julie Stephens
Sherryl Myrick
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up.
casting all your cares
I was recently listening to some old songs being played on the “oldies channel,” and I began to get a really good feeling inside. It’s interesting (and neat) how an old song of the past can take us back to that period in our lives when the song may have been popular. We can suddenly get warm feelings of that memory, and go back in our mind to that moment where we lived it out. I must confess, one of the most favorite concerts that Julie and I have ever attended was seeing the Monkeys perform live in an Atlanta area amphitheater. We were both standing while singing “Daydream Believer” with Davy Jones as he performed his popular hit of the 70’s. We were both young teenagers when the Monkeys were popular, so why did we enjoy the feeling that these songs provided?
I love the memories that these songs create, but when I think about going back to that time in my life and starting over from there, I quickly pass on the notion. So I ask myself, what is it about the song that gives me the good feeling? Is it just because we were younger? No, I don’t think that’s why. To me, it is the feeling that it was a time in my life when I had seemingly no worries. I just lived one day at a time, and I left the worries of finances and provisions to my parents, who cared for me deeply.
Just this past week, I found myself wandering down the wide road of being caught up in this world’s problems and issues, and my thoughts were actually giving me much anxiety and stress. I was thinking of friends with health issues, my children’s future, my company’s sales, the success of a campus ministry I lead, my wife’s long days at work as a teacher, my beloved mother as a new widow, and heaven forbid for me to watch the news to add to my worries. I’m certain that you could add many of your worries to my list above, and we could get together and have a good ‘ole worry party if that would do any good. But as I was thinking through my list, I realized I couldn’t fix any of these issues.
Just as I arrived home from work, I took a walk across our family farm, thinking that a fast paced walk would help relieve some anxiety. As I walked, I looked at the horses grazing in the grass and the birds scattered among the ground, and I was reminded of an old poem that goes:
Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend, I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”
–Elizabeth Cheney
It seems that year after year our Heavenly Father provides for the birds around our farm, but does He really care for you and I personally? I know He does! You may ask, “Robby, how do you REALLY know?” I say too many things happen to me that can’t just be mere coincidences. As I started my walk across the farm to relieve my anxiety, I decided to take my iPod to listen to a previously recorded sermon from one of my favorite Bible teachers. The sermon “just happened” to be based upon the Bible verse found in the book of 1 Peter: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). You could say, “Well Robby, that was just a coincidence.” I say no, it was an answered prayer. You see, just that morning I was on my knees asking for help to overcome my anxieties. For some neat reason, the Lord comforts me on this old farm as I spend time alone seeking His guidance. I was reminded of another time back couple of years ago when I was really seeking to know if He listened to my petitions to Him. As I floated in my small metal boat on the farm pond doing a little fishing, I privately spoke with Him. At that moment, out of nowhere, a solid white dove flew above my head and landed on a tree limb just above my head. Never before, or never afterward, have I seen a solid white dove out in the wild. I looked up and said, “Is that You Lord?” I received no answer, just an inquisitive stare. In a few minutes, the dove flew away after perching on the limb right above my boat. Now, if I had seen it across the pond or flying across the field, I would think that was neat, but this bird landed on a limb right above where I was positioned on the water. You see, things don’t just happen. I encourage you to seek Him, and to look for these seemingly “coincidental” encounters.
The sermon on my iPod lifted my spirits as I walked near the pond remembering that dove. I realized I couldn’t fix things, but I knew the One who could. I was reminded that I was not created to carry all of those burdens; that MY purpose is to encourage others for His glory. (That’s YOUR purpose too!) It’s very difficult to encourage others when you are weighed down with the worries of this world. I later looked up the definition for the word “cast.” I already knew the meaning of all and anxiety. Webster defines cast as: to place as if throwing. So it’s correct in saying that the Bible verse says we are to throw all of our anxiety on Him because He cares for us. During my walk back toward home, I said, “Lord, I’m giving You all these worries to take care of.” I really can’t explain why or how, but I’m telling you at that moment, I felt the burden go away.
It’s unfortunate, but along my way I will later choose to pick up some of these burdens to carry again. When we choose to carry burdens, we are, in a way, saying that we can fix the issues and problems. This is actually stimulated from our human nature that comes from a self-pride mentality. We begin to think that we have the answers and power to change people or to change circumstances. Let me keep the Bible verse quoted above in context, so I will share the verse immediately before it says we cast ALL our anxiety on Him. The Bible says to: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). My walk to relieve my anxiety was my “due time” to be lifted up, because I was feeling pretty down. Do you remember the part of this lesson where I humbled myself under God’s mighty hand? This Bible “stuff” really works! He cares for you! Jesus assures us of this in Luke 12:7: “The very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows” (NLT).
Let me conclude this lesson with a word of why we should cast all our anxiety upon Him, who cares for us. First and foremost, the Bible says we are to do it. We should not allow pride to get in our way. This permits us to humbly go before the Lord to ask Him to direct all of our steps. Second, stress and anxiety certainly impact our health in negative ways. Both can destroy our health and our relationships with others. Thirdly, and of great importance, if we hold on to the burdens and anxiety of life, it greatly affects our witness to Him. In the same book of 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter says we are to: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). If we go around weighed down by the anxieties of this world, we certainly are not a living testimony that Jesus is the Lord of our life. A non-believer will look at us and think we don’t have anything to offer for his/her anxieties. I know a Christian man who sounds like the donkey cartoon character Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. When you meet him and ask how he’s doing, he will answer in a non-enthusiastic monotone voice, “Oh I’m OK, but by the grace of God I’ll get through.” If I didn’t know the Lord and met him, I would not be inclined to listen to him. When we follow Biblical teachings such as casting our cares, we may very well receive blessings in return of our cast. In John 21:6, Jesus tells His disciples to do a little casting. The disciples had fished all night long, and they had nothing to show for their efforts. Jesus calls out for them to: “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some” (NRS). The Bible teaches: “So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish” (John 21:6 NRS). You will be a much better fisher of men by casting your cares.
So, isn’t it neat how old songs bring about warm memories of past times when we lived a more carefree life? In the very same way that our parents loved us back then and took care of our finances and provisions, the Lord loves us and desires for us to cast our cares upon Him. Just like I did on my walk across the farm, ask the Lord to receive all of your anxieties now. After you throw them all His way, turn on the radio and listen to a song. Perhaps this song will be a new song that brings up the warm feeling that you are loved, and this was the time you turned your life over to the Lord to completely care for YOU!
Robby
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