Don't Reel It In~

Thursday greetings ~

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

This verse validates the human condition: We are prone to anxiety.  We tend to worry, fret, nail-bite, and play host to nervousness, dread, and even panic.

There of plenty of good reasons we feel this way too.  Anyone who has watched the news this week knows what I am talking about.  Coupled with all the personal struggles we face, it’s a minor miracle if we can get a full night’s sleep.  And Jesus, our precious Savior whose birthday we will be celebrating soon, rather than getting angry at us for not having our so-called “act” together, for having less-than-perfect trust that He has us covered, invites us to cast every last bit of our anxiety on Him.  Not at Him, but on Him. 

Let’s break it down!

First we cast.

Cast is a verb, and my husband the avid fisherman knows it well.  To catch a fish, one must put bait on a hook, attach it to a line on a fishing rod, and then throw it out into the water.  Jorge looks good when he casts because he has had practice.  I once casted by throwing out the line as if it were a baseball and hooked Jorge in the shorts.  He was standing behind me, and this was totally his fault.

The key, however, is to not reel in prematurely.  If you want to catch a fish you must leave that line out there.  When we pray, we are casting.  We are giving our worries and troubles to God, and that’s OK because He invites us to let Him have them.  However, after we pray, if we feel that worry creeping back in, then we know we have started to reel in that line and must cast again.  There is no limit to the amount of times we cast, and God knows it.  The way this verse is written indicates that “casting” is an ongoing act.  We don’t just cast once, and then we are done.  Fishermen don’t fish once either.  They continue to fish for the promise of sustenance.  We continue to cast because the sustenance of our souls depends on it. 

Let’s do it!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We cast every last bit of our anxiety on You.  WE DO NOT WANT IT! Sometimes it’s hard to function because we are consumed with worry.  Please take it from us.  You are the Prince of Peace and we want peace in every single area of our life.  Thank You that if we have to, we can cast again later. In Your name, AMEN~