Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. – 1Peter 5:7 (NRSV)
What anxiety do you have right now? Have you tried to give it to God? Do you believe God cares? What happens when you feel God actually take your anxieties?
The following story was e-mailed to me:
I hired a carpenter to help me restore an old farmhouse. He had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, the electric saw quit and now his ancient pickup refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me to meet his family.
As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterwards he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."
"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick ‘em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."
Sometimes just not holding on to all of our worries to enjoy the gifts God has given us means that we have given God our anxieties. When we worry it is hard to love others as we should. I don’t know if we should have a tree like in the story, but God knows we should have a prayer and go rejoice in those we love, praise the beauty that there is, and hope that tomorrow can be better. Peter was right, cast your anxieties upon him, because he cares for you.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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