The Bible advises us to cast our cares onto God.
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 AMP).
The problem is that most of us cast our cares on the end of a fishing line. We throw them into the sea of God’s love and then immediately start to reel them back in. But what does it mean to really cast our care on the Lord?
Sometimes the answer to these theological questions is simple, but not easy. I had a revelation the other day that it means to tell God about it and then don’t think about it, don’t talk about it anymore except to thank Him and praise Him for deliverance. But HOW?
Peter is a bottom-line kind of guy, and his advice is always, “Just do it!” The Apostle Paul is more of a teacher, and he gives us a path to follow in his epistle to the Philippines.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you (Philippines 4:6-9 NLT).
He has given us a three-step process for casting our care once and for all:
- Stop the negative self-talk.
- Focus on the positive.
- Do what you know to do.
Instead of ruminating on a situation, trying to figure it out for yourself with you own limited resources and brain power, tell God about it. Be concise. “I can’t pay the rent.” “My (spouse, child, boss) is driving me crazy.” “The doctor says I have cancer.” No need to be long-winded and bring up every detail–that only focuses your attention on the negative. Thank Him for His help.
Don’t think about the problem anymore.
This is where the simple turns difficult for most of us. But Paul seems to be aware of the modern scientific principal that you can’t think of two different things at the same time. If you want to stop thinking about one thing, you need to substitute another thing. Do this every time the old worries come up.
When facing a temptation, we see the whole terrible picture play out in our minds eye and we go back to embellish it whenever we are reminded of it. This is where Jesus is a good example. When He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He didn’t spend anytime imagining what it would be like to eat warm, yummy bread that had moments before been a cold, hard stone, or picturing the wind in His hair as He did a swan dive from the top of the Temple. He certainly didn’t contemplate the adoring masses praising Him once Satan had conferred the kingdoms of the world upon Him. No! He spoke the Word back to that snake. He filled His mind and His mouth with God’s words. Instead of dwelling on hunger, discouragement, or uncertainty, He set His imagination on the Joy awaiting Him (Hebrews 12:2).
Here are a few simple verses to get you started; a google search on your problem followed by “verse” will offer many more (finances verse, relationships verse, etc.).
My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).
By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:1).
If you must form mental pictures, see the piles of God’s riches, feel the strength and power of your healthy body, cuddle in the arms of His Love.
Last step, you probably know at least one thing you can do to make your situation better. Cut up the credit card. Apologize. Put down the cookie. Do that small step, thanking God again for wisdom and strength. Once you are moving in the right direction, He will guide you and bring help you could never have imagined.
It’s time to cut the line on those worries, and let them sink into the boundless sea of God’s love and care for you!
Blessings.
Cool Like Christ 