Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert. 1 Peter 5:7-8a
I so want to write something encouraging to you about how well my exercise goals are going . About how well I am sticking to a specific diet. About how I have lost enough weight that I am ready to go shopping for new clothes.
But when I break down this scripture, it goes deeper, SO MUCH DEEPER than just today’s goal of losing weight.
These past few weeks and even months have been amazing. Through deep study and prayer, I am finding that God’s will for my life has never been clearer. You have to understand: this is something I have been struggling with for a long time. YEARS.
As I type, I have only two weeks and two days of full-time employment as I am starting back to school full-time. Gulp. As the time gets closer, my anxiety level is not as high as I expected it would be. BUT, my family’s is!! Sometimes as we make changes in our own lives, even when it is for all the right reasons, it affects others in ways we did not quite imagine. This creates anxiety…
As we go on this journey of learning to Crave God, we have to let go of the stressors. I don’t know about you, but the things that I care about most can be my stressors: my family, my marriage, school, church, friendships (or lack thereof). Then there are the things that are normal stressors for everyone: money, bills, illness…
All of these things can distract us from our goals. God tells us to cast ALL of these things on Him. Not some of them. Not the things we think He can handle. Not even just the things we want Him to know about. ALL of them.
The awesome thing is this: God is BIG enough to handle them. ALL of them. And thankfully, He’s willing to take them all. Who wants them anyway? Christ died on the cross so that He could cover all of our sins. Why wouldn’t He want us to drop the things that distract us from Him?
Why does He do it? Because He CARES FOR YOU!! Isn’t that amazing?? He cares for you, and for me, Wendy. So much so He even knows the number of hairs on our head. That’s a God who cares. When He was on the cross, He would have died if you were the only one in the world. WOW!
What does He require of you? Be self-controlled and alert. He wants our full attention. He wants all of us. I like how the Revised Standard Version puts it. “Be sober and alert.” That means to give up those things that stand between us and Him. It may be food, alcohol, cigarettes, our time… anything that we place in that role of idol. For me, it is food.
I am most alert when I am in His Word. I am more self-controlled when I realize that I am a temple of God. BUT I have to be reminded over and over. I need an accountability partner, and I am thankful I have an amazing husband who reminds me and helps push me to be the best me I can be. What about you? How will you move forward with #Determination this week?
You CAN do it! You can be an #Overcomer with God as your focus and with your eye on the prize!!
