Cast Your Anxiety on Him

You know that feeling at three in the morning. The house is quiet, everybody else is asleep, and your mind is doing math. Rent. Groceries. The car payment. You lie there staring at the ceiling and the numbers won't stop. And underneath the numbers is a question that scares you more than any of them: what if I can't take care of the people I love? If that's you tonight, God has a word for you. Listen to Peter. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11) Here's the first thing. God sees your burden, and He cares. Peter doesn't say cast some of your worries. He says casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). All of them. The big ones and the small embarrassing ones. And notice the reason he gives. Not because worry is unproductive. Not because things will probably work out. Because He cares for you. Your Father is not indifferent to your empty inbox and your shrinking bank account. The God who counts sparrows is counting your days. So here's what to do with that today. Take one specific fear, name it out loud to God. Not a general "help me, Lord." Say it plainly: "Father, I'm afraid I won't make November's rent." Cast it. Hand it over like you'd hand somebody a heavy box. And when it comes back to your mind an hour later, cast it again. That's not weak faith. That's how casting works. Second thing. Humility opens the door to His help. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Losing a job humbles a man or woman in a way few things do. It strips the title off your business card. And your pride will fight it. Pride will tell you not to ask for help, not to tell your church, not to let your spouse see you cry. But look what's under you when you go low. The mighty hand of God. That hand is not there to crush you. It's there to lift you, in due time, which means His time, not yours. So do the humble thing this week. Tell somebody. Tell your pastor, tell a friend, tell the people in your small group that you're out of work and you need prayer and you need leads. Peter says your brothers are undergoing the same sufferings (1 Peter 5:9). You are not the only one. You were never meant to carry this alone. Third thing. He is faithful when you feel abandoned. Peter is honest. There's a real adversary who walks around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), and in a season like this he whispers that God has forgotten you. Don't believe him. Peter says the God of all grace will, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you (1 Peter 5:10). Four verbs. God is not just going to get you through this. He's going to build something in you that wasn't there before. So keep showing up. Read a little Scripture in the morning before you open the job boards. Feed on the promise before you face the search. Friend, you may have lost your income. You have not lost your Father. Cast it on Him today. Let's pray. Father, You see this dear one. You know the bills and the fear at three in the morning. We cast it all on You now. Provide, and while You provide, strengthen and settle their heart in Christ. Amen.