Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

- 1 Peter 5:7 AMPC

Are you tired? Me too!

This passage is one of many practical teachings in 1 Peter that is essential and applicable to our everyday Christian walk.

Let’s be real! This “walk of life” has too many routes, detours, traffic jams, blocked off roads and there’s always something “under construction”!

Who wouldn’t want a trusty map to guide us through?

Peter wanted to help and encourage the people. Here, I believe Peter is trying to teach us a practical formula that allows us the opportunity to have a healthy life balance in our walk with the Lord.

Surrender = Trust = Balance

Peter encourages us to cast our cares on the Lord, whatever that may be at any given time.

Casting your cares is an act of surrender or submission- a demonstration of reverential respect. Surrendering that which is stressed and unsure, fearful, and anxious; your shame and sorrow, your past and present...whatever it may be.

When we surrender to the Lord, it puts us in a position of vulnerability that allows us to draw near to him; to trust what is unknown and unseen with a heart posture positioned to receive, ears ready to hear and a renewed faith to believe.

That posture of surrender releases control, pride and the responsibility of independent resolution.

What relief we have from a Father who loves us so much to take on our burdens as His own.

By casting the whole of our cares onto the Lord we are trusting Him in this intimate communion to sustain us, deliver us, make a way when there may be no way, redeem us, restore us, bring us peace and carry us through. Communing with Jesus in this exchange activates a healthy balance in our relationship with God and is manifested in our everyday life.

When we choose to hold on to unhealthy things it can adversely affect our mind, body and soul. It builds up internally, consumes us and can distract us away from God and His vision for our daily living. Eventually we won’t have the capacity to hold anything else!

Friend, this is a choice. Let go. Let God. Cast your cares. Surrender, Trust and have Balance…in Jesus’ Name!

With Love,
Jasmine Marrero