21/10/2019
I have been prone to worry and low-grade anxiety on and off throughout my life. One of the things that always irritated me was when people would tell me to simply “stop worrying,” as if anxious thoughts can be turned off with a switch. I ended up feeling even worse, because of my inability to simply turn the worry OFF.
This morning, I looked up a few verses on anxiety and was especially struck by this one: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
If you struggle with anxiety, let those words fall afresh on you. Those words aren’t condemnation. They aren’t accusation. They are an invitation to draw near to a loving God, and to turn your anxious thoughts over to Him.
God doesn’t tell you to ignore your anxiety. He doesn’t say there’s something wrong with you if you have anxiety or are unable to simply "stop worrying." He is saying, “Give it to me. Because I care about you.”