Cast Away

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

While looking up this verse on BibleGateway, I noticed that most translations use the word “cast” in place of “give”. Give is to place; cast is to project. Give is a transfer; cast is a throwing. Give is to cause to have; cast is to cause to hurl. 'Cast’ seems to be accompanied with more force and desire. There’s a deep longing to rid oneself of the burden of concern.

I don’t know about you, but my fishing line often gets tangled. Instead of casting, I keep. My life gets bound and overwhelmed with all that I need to surrender and cast away. Why? Because too often I hold the “line” too long. Casting implies a quick, sudden motion. I need to take my concerns to God immediately. Holding onto and meditating on cares only increases the burden to my heart.

We don’t throw away, but we throw onto. We don’t run away, but we run into. We reject the worry, refuse to be burdened with anxiety and rest in the Lord.

I awoke this morning around 5am. Many worries and cares have filled my mind. I have a friend who is not only waiting for Dr’s results for herself, but caring for her mom just coming through surgery, adjusting to life after recently adopting a little girl, making deadlines for a book publication, travelling with speaking opportunities, the busyness of being a wife and mother of three children, and she just heard news that her dad requires quadruple bypass open heart surgery tomorrow. God is saying, cast all your cares on Me.

My heart was saddened yesterday upon hearing that another friend lost her dad very unexpectedly on the weekend. He had gone to the church to turn on the heat in preparation for Sunday’s services, and upon returning home he commented to his wife that he wasn’t feeling well and moments later he was gone. God is saying, cast all your cares on Me.

Another friend very recently lost her son to cancer. He was only 12 years old. It was a horrendous four month battle. Although he is now completely healed, this families life is forever changed. God is saying, cast all your cares on Me.

Yet another friend has expressed that the previous 7 days have felt like 30! The death of two precious people, the death of a marriage, a friend's job loss, a friend with some serious health news, a single mom with complicated health issues while battling custody issues, another single mom with custody issues, and she says believe it or not the list goes on. God is saying, cast all your cares on Me.

I travel a personal path not burden free either. Daily worry fills my mind. Health concerns. Questions about my son’s future. Economic and employment related anxieties. Relationship struggles. The weight of unsaved family and friends. The stress of the season. A prodigal nephew living contrary to God’s Word. God is saying, cast all your cares on Me.

Psalm 55:22 echoes this directive. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Father, sometimes it's impossible to find enough strength to cast. Our concerns have left us weak and overwhelmed. Thank You that if we just breathe the word, You enable the release. Father...they are Yours. Thank You for caring for me.

PS. Since originally posting this writing, I have learned another lesson. After writing the above, I decided to put my own words into practice. I physically began going through the motion of 'casting' my cares onto the Lord. I made a discovery. I'm good at the casting out, but unfortunately even better at the reeling back in. The Lord only calls us to cast. Needing to leave my 'line' out at sea.