Finding rest
I shared a devotion with a group of girls a while back that has really stuck with me. We began by talking about all the different life circumstances that can cause us anxiety or worry. Some examples were going to the dentist, performing in a concert or taking a test. The girls were asked to think about each one and rank on a scale of 1 to 10 how much anxiety it caused them. Of course, each scenario received quite a spread of responses. Perhaps not too surprising, was the number of girls who indicated they would rather go to the dentist than talk in front of a group of people. Maybe you can relate.
As adults, we too have life circumstances that cause us to worry and feel anxious. We face difficult things that weigh us down. It might be a broken relationship, a decision about work, a loved one’s health, a family member not walking with God, or a myriad of other things. As I shared with the girls, there is much encouragement to be found in scripture for all of us who face difficult circumstances.
God wants us to bring our worry to Him. Psalm 55:22 tells us to “Cast your cares on the Lord.” I don’t know much about fishing but I do know that when you’re trying to catch a fish, you want to cast that line a long way out to where the fish are. The end result will be that the bait is far away from you. And I love that picture. We are told to cast our cares on the Lord, to heave those heavy burdens away from us and onto the Lord. When my mind is replaying worry over and over and my heart is heavy, it helps me greatly to picture myself throwing that worry with all my might, all my energy, away from me and onto God.
Our God is willing and able to carry our burdens. Jesus himself says ‘Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened.’ Matt 11:28. We can so easily become caught up in the problems of our world. We work harder and think harder to fix the broken things, to solve the problem. We are quick to forget that God is sovereign, all knowing and infinitely good and so we carry burdens that were never intended for us to carry. And we become weary.
But there is hope! For Psalm 55:22 ends with a beautiful promise. In full the verse reads “Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you.” Our part is to give our cares to God. His promise is to sustain us. What a promise! He will carry us, bring us through, strengthen us. How wonderful!
And He will give us rest. Matt 11:28 also finishes with a promise for those who come to Jesus. Rest. Rest from our striving, our troubled thoughts, our heavy hearts. What a precious gift from a gracious Saviour.
It’s impossible to avoid trials and worry when we live in a broken, cursed world. But it is possible to find peace. When we cast our cares on the Lord, He is faithful to carry our burdens and give us rest. It is my prayer that you would run to Jesus and receive His peace. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7) Amen
Caroline
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