“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7
None of us are strangers to anxiety. Mental health researchers estimate almost a third of us, at some point in time, suffer some form of chronic anxiety disorder. While anxiety manifests itself differently, it can be defined as a “pulling apart” of oneself. Have you ever felt that your life was coming apart? Thinking through a few of the apostle Peter’s life events reveals how easily he might have felt this way. So, this powerful and easily recallable verse emanates from Peter’s stressful experiences. Thankfully, the antidote for anxiety is the peace of God. In 1 Peter 5 and Philippians 4 both Peter and Paul point us toward this ultimate state of healing.
Peter precedes our memory verse with the simple prerequisite we are often reluctant to embrace because we believe we are the masters of our worries and burdens. Peter says if you want relief from anxiety, it starts with a humble spirit and admitting that we need to give up control (1 Peter 5:5-6). That’s also likely why Peter used the word “all.” The Lord wants all our burdens, not just the ones we choose to give up. He wants us to cast down, or lay at His feet, all our anxiety—completely hand it over to Him. Why? Because Jesus cares for you! As author Dane Ortlund describes in his book Gentle and Lowly, this is Jesus’ very nature. Ortlund emphasizes: “This is who He is. Tender. Open. Welcoming. Accommodating. Understanding. Willing.”¹ Jesus reveals His heart in His own words in Matthew 11:28, inviting us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus truly does care for you. Peter summarizes chapter 5 declaring, “Peace to all of you who are in Christ.”
In Philippians 4:7, Paul points out that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will also guard our hearts and minds in Christ. Anxiety may push our minds to chaos, but when we pass our anxious thoughts to Him, the result is a guarding of our hearts and minds. This road to peace begins in Philippians 4:6, where we are reminded, “do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Obeying this verse and sharing your requests to God while also thanking Him for what He’s done provides a sense of peace and God’s provision.
The promises of God’s Word heal us from within and set us on a path to experience the peace of God. Pray for this peace often and meditate on the incredible fact that He cares for you…more than you can imagine.
by a First Church Elder
¹Ortlund, Dane C. Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. Crossway, 2020.
