Casting Your Cares Upon Jesus

humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you in season, casting all your cares to the extent of him because he cares for you.-1 Peter 5:6-7

The word casting is ἐπιρρίπτω (epiriptó from epi "on, upon" and rhiptó "to throw, cast, to throw off, toss") One way we can look at this is we must put off the old garments and put on the new. Cares, anxieties, worries, fear is not part of the new man. Another way we can look at this is we must know God cares for us, thus if we know his providence then we would trust in him to care for us. Certainly, it is a fight of faith against unbelief. To be anxious about the cares of this world is unbelief and anything not of faith is a sin. Jesus says if we have faith we would not worry, be anxious, nor be afraid. But we all are anxious and afraid at times so lovingly He tells us to cast our cares upon him. 

humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you in season...

There is a condition we might miss in casting our cares, humility. Pull up the boot straps and get er done doesn't apply. Jesus said you can't add one hour to your life span, nor one inch to your height by worrying... in other words it is a worthless waste of energy. Stress causes many health problems, so it actually may take away from your life span. Holding on to the cares of this world is basically saying I got this God, I can do this in my own strength, I can figure this out. Which is basically pride? Humble yourselves, I can't handle this nor do I want to have such a burden, I will cast them upon Jesus. Casting our cares upon Jesus is saying ok Jesus I trust you have this, I will no longer worry about it.

and great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others, and cast them at his feet; and he healed them.-Matthew 15:30

In this verse, we see the word cast, ῥίπτω (rhiptó) to throw, cast upon. These people in need had family and friends that brought them to Jesus and cast them at his feet. Oh to have friends that would cast us to Jesus, interceding for us on our behalf when we need help. Do we not need to be healed of our sickness? Is not a part of spiritual warfare, prayer and supplication for each other in our times of need? What is the need in comparision to having peace and contentment? Paul tells us transformation renews the mind, so we need to be actively doing, enduring even though we are still struggling, so that renewal happens. To be free from a mind that is anxious and worried, to know that no matter what Jesus knows and cares, and he will never leave nor forsake us.

and the cares of this world and the deceit of riches and the violent desires concerning these, enter in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful.-Mark 4:19

The kingdom of God is forceful movement and the one who is forceful in eager pursuit of it is the one who seizes it.-Matthew 11:12 Jesus said he did not come to bring earthly peace but a sword, war.-Matthew 10:34 And we are told this is not your typical earthly type of war, not against people but a battle against spiritual forces in the heavenly realm, against the schemes of the devil, against leaders, authorities, rulers of this darkness.-Ephesians 6:11-12 It is a struggle against sin.-Hebrews 12:4 Sin that dwells in our bodies in which evil is near using it to war against our souls.-Romans 7:21-25-1 Peter 2:11 Jesus said the kingdom of God we must fight for, "fight to enter through the narrow gate because many I tell will try to enter and will not have strength."-Luke 13:24 It is a fight and we need strength.

Fight the good fight of faith, take hold of it (seize with violent force) eternal life to the extent you were called and confessed the good confession before many witneses.-1 Timothy 6:12

Yes, it is a fight, it is spiritual warfare. To those called, he will equip. "Making you complete in all good to do his will, doing in us what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ."-Hebrews 13:21 To those called he is working out things for their good, to be conformed to the image of His son.-Romans 8:28-30 To those called it is God working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.-Philippians 2:13 But we can't be passive in this, we must fight, therefore God equips us with the full armor of God to do battle.-Ephesians 6:10-18 There is the good fight of faith Paul says, where we must seize, take hold of eternal life.

The weeds planted by the devil, the deceit of riches, and the cares of this world, are there to defeat us. Can we not say Jesus told the rich young ruler to cast away his treasure to follow him? We must cast away our cares upon him. Though it sounds unthinkable that someone would value, treasure, and hang on to these cares of the world, anxiety, worries, we sometimes do. I am one who struggles with this. Jesus spoke of this type of soil in the parable of sowing or soils to help us. This type of anxious thinking becomes habitual, a part of us as if we value it profitable, but recognizing it as a scheme of the devil moves us in the right direction to fight the good fight of faith against it. 

finally grow strong in the Lord and in the might of his strength. Put on the armor of God, so that you have the power to stand against the schemes of the devil...-Ephesians 6:10-18

Humble yourself, I can't do this and don't want to, and there is someone who will take it, so I will cast my cares upon Jesus. Knowing the cares of this world is a weapon of the devil used to defeat us, should open our eyes, and give us the courage to fight against his schemes. Knowing that Jesus cares for me and that I can trust him to take care of me is a powerful mindset to have. The deceit of riches, pride, cares of this world, are weapons used against us. Even anxiety and worry which we can so easily justify, see it for what it really is; a weed planted by the devil to choke us out, to keep us from God's path of life, peace, and joy. Cast your cares upon Jesus, for he cares for you, he has got this, why bother with it.

Cast Your Cares