Good afternoon, Lovelies! In the spirit of Transformation Tuesday, I hope this verse will transform your life the way it has transformed mine! Keep in mind, not all transformations happen on the outside. The best ones happen in our heart and in our mind.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 

When I read this verse for the first time, it was at a point in my life when I was really confused, full of stress/anxiety, and I needed someone really big to lean on. We’ve all been there; some of us are there right now. What this verse said to me was God is big enough.

I’ve never been the type of person to pour out all of life’s deepest issues on a friend, parent or sibling. I would usually share bits with some and other bits with others, trying to balance everything so that no one was getting too much of my mess. Well, this verse tells me that God wants the whole mess.

When my R.A. in college gave me this verse, she had no idea the impact it would go on to have in my life. The first night with this new treasure, I found myself laying in my bed, crying, so desperate for comfort, when I thought back on the words in this verse, and this verse told me God even cares for little ole’ me.

Often I don’t confide in others because I feel like my issues are too trivial or that my first world problems aren’t real problems. But this verse tells me that God wants it all. He wants all of my problems, even the little ones.

This post is different from my other ones, and it’s a message that has become a core part of who I am. We live in a society that doesn’t always have time to deal with our issues. Our society gives everyone a trophy and slaps a condition on everyone, but it’s uncommon that our issues are actually solved and dealt with. We just get labeled and pacified, but what about our real issues, like the ones that keep us up at night crying in our bed silently begging for relief? Those are the issues that we really need help with, and if you have a relationship with God, those are the issues you can give to Him.

Break it Down

Cast – This word is strong. It’s demanding. There are so many other words the writer could have used like Bring all your cares, or Give all your cares. But no, that wouldn’t do this justice. This verse tells you to CAST them, throw them back to God, use force!

All – Seems simple, but I interpret this to mean that nothing is too trivial for God’s care. This makes me so excited because God (like the huge God who created the entire universe and knows every single hair on your head), yeah that God, He has time for YOU. He even has time for all of your mess.

Your – This is important because we often pray for others and their ailments, but it’s easy to forget to pray for yourself. This verse specifically tells us to cast OUR own anxieties on God. Don’t forget that. You may think it’s humble to spend all your time praying for others, but it’s not. What does it tell God when you don’t pray for your own mess?

Anxiety – This word varies from translation to translation, so it’s important to know what it means. KJV uses the word cares, NIV uses the word anxiety, NLT says worries. What I read this to mean is that we should be casting those things that bother us, the things that upset us, that cause us anxiety or worry, the things that we care about deeply. Basically, our mess. Cast your mess on God. 

on Him – LOVE THIS PART!!! The release from casting your mess onto God is so invigorating because it’s the transfer of negative energy off of our own being onto someone else. Now, stay with me here. I know it’s starting to sound crazy. You know the feeling of a sigh? That is the physical feeling I experience when I give it to God.

because – This word always gets me. It’s so matter of fact. Sometimes, I read this verse kind of flippantly like Cast all your anxiety on Him because well duh, like it’s GOD Almighty and He cares for you!! That was pretty much how I read it the first time. That because just jumped right out at me and kinda slapped me in the face. This word tells me to just give it up already and stop trying to do this thing without God.

He – Just sit here for a moment and consider who He is. I’m not going to guide you; just take it all in.

Cares – This word in the KJV seems repetitive because it reads Cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you. It’s a true indicator that this is the word that belongs here. It’s a verb, a soft and gentle action to reflect how God responds to our needs.

for You. – BOOM! Mic drop. Yep, for you. In all that He is doing, God even has time to care for you. It’s no burden to Him. He can handle it, and He wants to handle it. Like I said before, God wants all of us including our mess especially our mess.

Anyways, enjoy your week friends! Remember, your problems are never too big. It’s just a thing, and you will get through this if you break it down, cast it on God, and remain faithful to Him.

– the Wife