Here’s a thought that challenges me: “Prayer is bringing your wishes and worries to God; faith is leaving them there.”[1] The “prayer” part is easy, but the “faith” part–that is, leaving our worries with God, is quite another matter, right?

 

Prayer–the way we bring our concerns to God–is almost an automatic reaction when we’re in trouble. Even people who say they don’t believe in God, when they are in a desperate situation cry out frantically to Him. But it takes sincere faith to leave those anxieties with Him and trust that He is going to bring good out of the most horrible of circumstances.

 

Sometimes when I’m really anxious about a situation, I’m hesitant to just leave it with God because that seems rather irresponsible. Shouldn’t I be doing something to help solve the problem? Yet, the truth is, only God knows the future, so He is the only one who can provide the right solution. Continuing to worry means I don’t really believe God is going to solve the problem.

 

In the Bible, the apostle Peter tells us we should cast all our anxieties on God, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). God feels concern for us the way a parent does for a hurting child.

 

The word “casting” in this verse is different from casting a fishing line into the water only to reel it in a few moments later. The meaning involves complete commitment of what is being cast, not bringing the problem to God in prayer–only to take it back again on my own shoulders at the end of my prayer.

 

            Because God cares so much for me, I can leave my concerns with Him and know that He will take care of them better than I can.

Lord, today I’m going to cast my anxieties on You, and by Your grace, leave them there. After all, You’re big enough to handle anything I bring to You.

 

[1] http://goo.gl/8qr7z3, accessed 7-27-2016.