Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

I want us to look at a short scripture in 1 Peter 5:7. You know it, you have read it, and you may have even memorized it. But how has it worked for you? In times when one thing piles upon another, you can get weighed down very easily. So, what help can we glean from the word of God to encourage us?

God says, “Cast.” That means, throw off, get rid of, or discard something you don’t like or is hurting you.

A burden is a load you carry. It gets heavier when it pills up. God knows that the cares and troubles of this world have become too heavy for you to carry. He knows your strength cannot bear it any further than where you are. He knows also that your burdens have wearied you. They have made you anxious, so anxious that you can’t focus or think right. Not only that. God knows that your burden has sapped all your strength. You have no energy and enthusiasm for your walk with Him. You are grumpy and not fun to be around you. For these reasons, He has made Himself a burden-bearer for you in Christ Jesus (Matt. 11:28). He calls you to throw off and away from your back, all, not some, but all your cares on Him. Now, why will He do that? Because He cares for you. He wants to give you relief from your burdens.

Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t that the best news for a burdened person on a sun-scorched day?

Now, take a careful look at Psalm 55:22. The Psalmist says, “Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will not let the righteous be moved.” Now, that adds another dimension to the heavenly deal for you this morning. He promises to sustain you. He will hold you up and prime you to walk better and swifter. Then, He says, He will not let the righteous fall.

You have no righteousness of your own. But Christ has imputed His own to you as a believer. One benefit of that righteousness is to ensure your burdens do not crush you.

Do you have a burden this morning? Cast it on Jesus. He loves and cares for you. He will hold you up so you can run the race well (Heb 12:1). He holds the crown of righteousness for you to receive in heaven (2 Tim 4:7-8). So, let go of your burden today, and let Jesus carry it for you.

A promise to claim and rejoice in its liberty today.