Worry and I used to be very close companions. We spent a lot of time together and back then, I thought that was a normal way to live. But through the years, God has helped me end my relationship with worry. And He did it with the help of my husband, Dave.
Dave and I have been married for forty-six years now and every time I have come to him with a problem, Dave has had only one thing to say: “Cast your care.”
Believe me, it’s not very appealing to hear those words from your spouse when you’re feeling frustrated and upset but it’s exactly what the Bible tells us to do.
First Peter 5:7 (NIV) says to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
In the dictionary, the word cast means “to pitch or to throw.” I think that description says a lot because if you’re going to end your relationship with worry, then you’re going to have to get aggressive about it.
For example, we don’t have to accept every thought that comes into our heads. We can be selective, casting out the wrong ones and helping the right ones take root. I find that my whole outlook changes as I say simple prayers: “God, I believe You’re working in my life and I’m expecting something good to happen today.”
I’m not saying we should ignore our problems, wishing they’d just go away. It’s good for us to look at our problems squarely and honestly but we can’t let them keep us from adopting a hopeful, positive attitude that says, “I believe God is in control!”
There’s a saying that goes, “Worry sees the problem; faith sees the God who can handle the problem.” So I want to ask you: Do your problems know where they stand in relationship to God in your life?
Get Your Eyes Glued on God
I love the story of Abraham who, at 100 years of age, believed God would give Him a son and make him the father of many nations.
When Abraham’s wife, Sarah, learned about God’s promise, she laughed because it seemed utterly impossible to her. She was already beyond her childbearing years and Abraham was no spring chicken. But he chose to look beyond his problem and believe God. I’m absolutely amazed by that!
The Bible says that God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20). So no matter what our circumstances look like, we just need to keep our eyes on God.
Timing Is Everything and Everything Takes Time
Typically when we have a problem, God will do one of two things. He’ll either remove the problem or He’ll give us the ability to get through our time of difficulty with a positive attitude.
As I’ve grown in my relationship with God, I’ve become more comfortable leaving that choice up to God. Because if He leads me through something I really don’t want to go through, then I know He has a purpose in mind.
As a child I experienced years of sexual abuse, which was absolutely tormenting. The amazing thing is everything God has done in my life through that horrible situation—all of the healing and restoration—has prepared me to do what He’s called me to do today. I didn’t always understand why things were happening the way they did at the time but I learned how to walk by faith and trust God’s goodness, even when my circumstances didn’t make sense to me.
It’s absolutely wonderful when we can feel completely comfortable not knowing the “why” behind what’s happening in our lives.
We don’t always have to know what God is going to do or when He’s going to do it. All we really need to know is that God has a plan and He is in control. We can rest in the truth that at the right time, God will execute His plan. (See Proverbs 3:5-6.)
Trusting God Brings the Best Results
Maybe there’s something happening in your life right now that you don’t understand and it’s causing you to worry. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to say, “I don’t understand this and it hurts right now but I believe God is going to work it out”?
If you’ve already wasted a lot of your time with worry, I encourage you to break up that bad relationship. Instead of giving way to anxious emotions, you can do what God has urged me to do all these years: Cast your care.
Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I believe that.
Not everything that happens is good. But it can work out for good for those who keep loving God and keep pursuing His will in their lives. There’s nothing God can’t turn around if you’ll put your trust in Him!
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s five-teaching CD series The Cause and Cure for Worry. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting joycemeyer.org.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries. {eoa}
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 135 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Authentically, Uniquely You (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
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