Theology & Life

Are you stressed, anxious, and/or burdened by something? I think all of us—if we’re honest—can answer “yes” to that in one degree or another. There’s always something to be stressed about, something to make us anxious, something to be burdened by. That comes with life, and life is simply difficult at times.

The Apostle Peter writes that we ought to “cast all our anxieties” on God because “he cares for [us]” (1 Peter 5:7). Do we know the magnitude of this?

It doesn’t matter what you’re suffering. Whether it’s cancer, criticism, persecution, or the like, God cares and is there for you. He’s not a distant deity; He’s not a capricious tyrant; He’s not unconcerned about the affairs of His children. He cares about you and loves you more than you will ever understand.

I try to explain to my little girls how much their daddy loves them. They will never truly understand how big my love is for them. But anytime I tell them that, I also explain, “But be amazed at how much more God loves and cares about you!” Neither of them have the best capacity to understand God’s love and what that means within the confines of the gospel, but I want them both to at least understand we serve and worship a God who cares, who is there, and who loves us. If I, as an imperfect daddy, love my girls so much, how much more does the perfect, holy God love them?

The same is true when we sit wondering about God’s love for us. We ponder if God really cares, if He really loves us. We think His love might run out after that last sin. We doubt His affection for us and dismiss His lovingkindness. But if we were to truly believe what the Bible teaches, that would change us.

Think about it: it’s like what David asks, “what is man that you are mindful of him” (Psalm 8:4)? The God of the universe—the One who created the heavens, the stars, the sea, the trees, animals, and humans—stooped down to our level in the person of Jesus to show us He cares. Of course, there’s more to it than that. The gospel message is far more than “God cares about you” — but it’s not less! This is on display wonderfully in John 3:16. Remember: God didn’t send Jesus to die on our behalf in order that He could love us; no, He sent Jesus because He loves us.

Christian, God cares about you. He cares even when you don’t care about yourself. So . . . cast your worries and anxieties upon Him. Humble yourself and let God worry for you. Do you struggle with giving your worries and cares to God? Perhaps that’s the sin of pride on your part.

John Piper wrote,

Now, why is casting our anxieties on the Lord the opposite of pride? Because pride does not like to admit that it has any anxieties. Or that we can’t take care of them ourselves. And if pride has to admit that its fears are unmanagable, it still does not like to admit that the remedy might be trusting someone else who is wiser and stronger.

Pride reveals itself in obscure forms. When we refuse to cast our cares onto God, we’re being prideful in that 1) we think we can handle it ourselves, and 2) we don’t really believe God cares for us. So not only is it prideful, but a form of unbelief. Many times when we ask Does God really care about me? the answer is not so much about God as it is about us. The Bible is clear: Of course God cares. Do we really believe that? Do we trust that, no matter what we’re going through, God is with us and for our good? If so, then we must trust Him even when life is hard. We must believe Him even when stress, anxiety, and worry ramp up in our hearts.

When we meditate on God’s care for us, our cares melt away.