Casting Cares

​When I was about ten years old, my Dad taught me to cast a fishing line into the lake. The picturesque setting was a snow fed, freshwater lake tucked in the towering mountains outside of Spokane, Washington. I remember well enjoying the warm sun and refreshing breeze while eating ham sandwiches and drinking a can of Cream soda.  
 
My father taught me a principle: Steve, you can’t catch fish with the line and wiggly worm in hand. So, my Dad schooled me in the art of tossing, or throwing the line out to where the fish were.
 
Dad was a really good caster! Me, not so good. I am sure my father recollected with fondness in his heart (frustration too!) how awkward and inexperienced his son was in throwing that baited hook and line out of the boat.
 
Dad casted like a professional because he had fished for decades. Casting was natural for him. Not so much for me. My initial casts snagged his pants, landed on logs jutting out from the lakes surface, and I even hooked myself once! But over time I did learn to cast the line and even caught some fish. Imagine that!
 
Jesus taught us not to worry about life (Matthew 6:25-33). The Apostle Paul exhorts us to not worry about anything and to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7).  Peter commands believers in Christ to “cast all their anxieties” (worries, cares, concerns, frustrations and burdens) on the Lord. Why cast our anxieties? To catch a fish?  Not exactly.
 
The Apostle Peter carried some heavy burdens and cares that crushed his spirit. Imagine how devastated his heart felt after denying the Lord when he swore that he wouldn’t? The Lord lovingly restored Peter’s relationship with Him. Years later, Peter wrote “Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7
 
God desires that His children be carefree. To be carefree never means to be careless.
It means to be free from unnecessary care. It is not our Heavenly Father’s will for us to be burdened and bogged down with worry as we walk through life. 
 
Think about it for a moment. Why should we carry burdens, worries and cares that Jesus nailed to the Cross? Isaiah 53:1-6 makes it clear that Jesus bore or carried everything that would burden us down in life. He took upon Himself all of our cares so we would not have to carry life’s cares.
 
 
CAST YOUR CARE! Please note that tossing our worries, anxiety and cares on the Lord is our responsibility. My Dad didn’t cast my fishing line for me. God doesn’t cast our cares for us. Neither can other people. Each of us are to be our own care caster.
 
It takes a humble person to admit they are burdened and then do something about it. Verses 5-6 in I Peter 5 tell us that God resists the arrogant or proud person (the one who thinks he can handle his or her life without outside help). Arrogant people hang on to their cares and become buried by their burdens. Proud and burdened does not make for smooth sailing through life.
 
 On the other hand, God gives grace and assistance to the humble person. That’s great news! God takes our cares because He cares for us. Because He cares, He takes our cares. He shares our concerns. He invites us to cast our cares His way!
 
 Are you one of those discouraged people who thinks that nobody cares? Please think again. GOD CARES! You have His Word on it. He cares that you have cares and He is ready and waiting to relieve you of them.
 
Unburden your burdens. Lighten your load. Dare to cast your cares on the Lord who for cares for you.
 
Casting Exercise
 
1. Make a list of your “cares” on a piece of paper. Be very specific.
 
2. Write I Peter 5:7 over each one of them. Make the font of the verse                                     bigger and bolder than the care.
 
3. Toss each “care” on the Lord through believing prayer. Speak your care                             into the air of God’s faithfulness and leave it there.
 
4... Tear up the paper. Place it in the trash and move forward in life with                          a renewed faith and a lighter load. 
           
5. When the devil tries to remind you about your “cares”, remind him you                               cast them on Christ and they are history! Hallelujah!
 
I have learned throughout my forty-seven years as a Christian, that the more I cast my cares on the Lord, the better caster I am!
 
Your Heavenly Father loves you and simply asks you to toss your worries to Him! God has big hands, wide shoulders, and a huge heart. He can handle all your anxieties.
 
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to bear burdens and suffer with anxiety with an invitation like this. There is no joy or freedom in being stressed out over the cares of this life. We need to take some casting lessons from our Father in heaven.
 
Do you trust Him enough to toss your cares upon Him? 
 
“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”                                                                         Psalm 55:22
 
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”             Matthew 11:28-30
 
A Word For Your Week: Cast your cares on the One who cares for you.