“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6–7, NIV)
This morning, I awoke and began my Bible Study and reflection. In doing so, I came across something the evangelist Billy Graham had written. The picture it drew was so good, so practical, so right for this moment in time….
“I’ve been told that the French translation of the verse “Casting all your care upon Him” is “Unloading your distresses upon God.”
Have you ever seen a dump truck get rid of its load? The driver simply pushes a button or pulls on a lever, and the heavy load is discharged at the prescribed spot. The truck would be of no use if it carried its burden forever.
We were never meant to be crushed under the weight of care. We can push the button of faith or pull the lever of trust, and our burden is discharged upon the shoulder of Him who said He would gladly bear it. Unload the anxieties of the present moment upon Him, for He cares for you. If He loved you enough to take away the burden of your sins, can’t you trust Him to take away every lesser burden as well?” (p. 158, Hope for Each Day).
I know people who carry around truckloads of guilt, shame, responsibility, anger, resentment, and so much more. Sometimes, you can even see the droop of their shoulders as the burdens weigh down so heavily upon them. God never intended for you to carry forever all the weight of your choices, your responsibilities, your mistakes, your failures, your sin. God has always wished to bear that burden for you while you offer up your sin. Release the stresses to the Most High God. Let go of the weight that this world heaps upon you.
I have met Christians who should know better. They should be fully aware of Jesus’ words when He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Still, they think their lot in life is to carry the burdens of their past or bear the burdens of others upon their shoulders. Jesus didn’t want you to carry a heavy load of guilt and shame, regret and resentment. Jesus wanted you to repent of your sins, let go of your burdens, put down your anger and resentment and lust for revenge. Jesus wanted you to find grace, feel forgiveness, offload that guilt and shame. Jesus wanted you to rest in God’s providence and find comfort in God’s arms.
When I was still in seminary, I was assigned as a chaplain to Christian Hospitals in St. Louis, Missouri. At one hospital, I was to care for those going into surgery, watch over the staff, and pray with and for those who needed spiritual help. At the other hospital, I met with patients in a locked ward. These patients had either attempted suicide, been deemed psychologically unstable, or could not care for themselves for various reasons. I never knew which hospital needed more spiritual help. Both places were filled with spiritual needs, people who were suffering, people who were dying, or people who had lost hope.
I remember one such person in the locked ward of the hospital. He seemed very lucid, fully aware, respectful, and intelligent. I asked him why he was even at the hospital. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I am a lost cause. I have done terrible things in my life. God will never forgive what I’ve done. I attempted suicide. Are you going to try and save me?” As he spoke, his personality changed. He went from respectful and intelligent to outright angry and resentful. He didn’t want to see me. He didn’t feel comfortable talking with me. Do you know why? He didn’t want to face God, his past, his sin.
The man told me that his past haunted him day and night. I never knew what he had done, but I knew the reason he attempted suicide. The man was carrying the burden of past mistakes, failures, regrets, sins, and guilt. Not able to deal with it, to let go of his burden to Jesus, he carried the weight of his past until it broke him. He chose suicide instead of asking Jesus to forgive him and heal him. He felt he deserved pain instead of forgiveness.
I have met many who were like this man. They may not have attempted suicide, but they carried heavy burdens from the past. They believed the lie that Jesus can’t forgive their past, their sin, their mistake. Others believed the lie that their sin was too great or it was their responsibility to feel pain for mistakes made. All these lies and many others keep sin alive, keep the person suffering, keep Jesus from offloading their burden, keep forgiveness from occurring, keep grace from bringing true peace. Satan loves telling these lies. Sadly, people keep these lies alive while rejecting God’s offer of grace.
Today’s scripture is a reminder that you need to “humble yourself before God” (1 Peter 5:6). In doing so, you must let go of the pride that makes you bear the sins of your past or the burdens of others. You must let go of the lying prideful arrogance that tells you to be stronger, bear more burdens, carry the full weight of your responsibilities, and hold it all in. If you do not repent, you let sin lord it over you.
Our scripture from 1 Peter demands you “Cast all your anxiety on God because HE cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Did you notice the word ALL in this verse? God wants all that anxiety. Hold nothing back. Jesus wants to forgive all your sin. God wants you to put down that burden and cast your worries God’s way. God is big enough to bear any burden. Are you big enough to let go of ALL burdens, giving them ALL to God in Christ?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, I come to You humbly on this day. You have created me. You have set the path I need to take that will lead to Heaven. I pray that I may cast ALL my burdens upon You. I pray there is nothing that holds me back from a complete surrender of my will. You desire me to be freed from sin, filled with the joy of grace; a heart lightened by forgiveness.
I repent of my sin. I seek forgiveness and grace. I will not carry the weight of my past any longer. I lay it down before the cross of Jesus Christ. May pride never hold me back from a complete surrender to my Lord and Savior!
I pray today for those who bear heavy burdens; those who will not let You carry the load. They have chosen to hold onto past sin. Their bodies are suffering from the weight of the past. Their minds are uneasy. Their sleep is filled with tossing and turning. Their quiet moments are never really peaceful. They live in regret. Their emotions are in turmoil because of their history. May they just repent, dear Heavenly Father! Let them lay down their pride and grasp for the grace You offer. Before it’s too late….
Amen.