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

I have been a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ now for many years.  I have walked through valleys and been on the mountaintop as well.  Most people who know me would probably describe me as cheerful, upbeat, and energetic.  Some of my friends laughingly call me "Mighty Mouse," because I am very petite and very high energy.  But like anyone else, I have my times when I am anxious or feel burdened with life.  We live in a fallen world, and as a result, there is often pain and sorrow in our lives.  As a mother, I find that I tend to become anxious at times about my children.  I have one teenage daughter, and another who will be a teenager in a few months.  (Of course, there are six younger children growing up quickly as well!)  Sometimes they disappoint me with the choices they make or the way they speak to me or Todd.  Often they are immature, talk back, or quarrel with their siblings.  I find myself becoming anxious about their futures.  What if I don't do a good job raising them?  What if I miss something?  What if the choices they make have lasting consequences that are painful?  Over the years, I have come to realize that so little of this is truly in my control.  I can pour the best things into them, spend time with them, teach them, love them, build traditions for them, but ultimately the choices they make and the paths of their lives are out of my hands.  My anxiety will accomplish nothing.  One of the best things I can do for them is simply to pray diligently for them. 

When I tend to worry, I call to mind these verses: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (1Peter 5:6-7)  I find it interesting that in verse 6, we are told to humble ourselves before we cast our anxieties on Him.  Is there a bit of pride in our worrying?  Do we feel that our worry in some way will help something?  We are to humble ourselves under the mighty had of God.  God's hand is Mighty!  Nothing we can do will ever compare to the mighty hand of God in our lives.  When I am tempted to worry,  I remind myself that I can cast all my anxieties on Him.  God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think! 

There have been some dark times in my life when I have felt alone and worried that things would never get better.  I remember clinging to the Lord and asking Him to carry me through and show me His truth.  He is always so faithful.  Sometimes the answers aren't exactly what I thought they would be, or even what I prayed for, but God's ways are always higher than my ways (Isaiah 55:9), and He has given me grace to see that His plans are better than mine. 

Tuesdays are very busy days for me.  We are running all day, going to the library, lessons and a few classes the children are taking.  It can be so stressful getting everyone here and there, making sure we don't leave anyone behind (we have a couple of pokey ones), feeding everyone, etc.  As I head out for my Tuesday, my prayer is that I will let go of all my anxieties today, casting all of them on Him, knowing that He cares for me, that His hand is mighty, and He is sovereign!  As I watch my children grow, see how quickly the time passes, and realize how little time I am truly given with them to help shape their lives, I open my hand, and put them into His Mighty hands, praying all the while.  I know that their future is in His hands. 

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 
Nor are your ways My ways,"
        says the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than Your thoughts.
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there, 
But water the earth, 
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater, 
So shall My word be that goes
forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void, (amen!)
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And is shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
                                        Isaiah 55:8-11


"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  
           Ephesians 3:20-21