Humbly Hurling — Grateful, yet Grieving

I Peter 5:6, 7 (NIV)
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

While growing up I attended Sunday School regularly at a little Baptist Church. Each week we were given a verse to memorize. I Peter 5:7 “Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you (KJV)” was one of the verses I memorized. I remember the Sunday School teacher telling me that God cared about me and I could give Him all my cares and worries. It was reassuring as an 8-year-old to know that I could give God my concerns. As a child, it wasn’t hard.

As an adult, it seems a little more tricky. But I have to wonder if verse 6 of I Peter 5 isn’t somehow connected to being able to give God our worries? “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Pastor and author, Alistair Begg says, “Being humble is what enables us to give our worries to God; humility’s presence leads to anxiety’s absence.”

Humility recognizes we are not in control, but God is. Humility places trust in God, not on figuring it all out. Humility allows us to say, “Here, Lord, I can’t do this, but You can.” With a humble heart, we are in position to start casting. Casting our cares means hurling, throwing, and letting go. The Greek word is decisive, energetic, and action-oriented.

When we are humble and know we have no ability we are invited to get rid of our worries and cares. We can let go because God does care. God sees us, hears us, loves us, knows us and longs to have us come to Him. Carrying around our worries is like wearing a heavy backpack that we no longer need to manage. We can humbly hurl our cares to our Heavenly Father who tenderly cares for us.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for these words that we can put our trust in. Right now, we humble ourselves, under Your mighty hand and cast all our cares and concerns, the things that we lose sleep over, on You, knowing You love us, care for us, hear us, and see us. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for doing what we cannot do.

In Your Powerful Name, Amen.