This truth took on a different meaning for me.
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
It isn’t so much about me giving God my anxieties so he could be the magic fixer. It’s more about trusting him to heal my soul.
My prayers were no longer framed around my specific stresses at that time. Instead, I would begin to talk to God about depending on him for all things and trusting him in every season. Whether this problem is solved or not, I want to be at peace in my life. I can only do that if I trust him.
God truly does care for you as a person. Your dilemma is not as concerning to him as you are.
I began to learn that I desired for God to deal with my lack of trust and desire for control more than I wanted him to deal with the problem. I desired peace and rest in my life. I wanted to actually be able to close my eyes and rest for the night.
Just simply changing the nature of my conversation with God began to change the way I handle my stress. There is actually a richer sense of peace knowing that it doesn’t matter whether or not the problem is fixed. You can just rest because God cares for you.
2. Embrace the Blessing of Your Weakness
Moments of stress and even anxiety are a reminder that we live in a fallen world. It’s broken. And that brokenness spills into our life. God never desired for us to stress about the things of life. When Jesus talks about why we shouldn’t worry in Matthew 6 it’s not out of him scolding us or reprimanding us. It is out of him showing how much he cares for us.
Part of him caring for us is him using our weakness for his glory. Often we desire for God to remove our hardships and weaknesses. But he can do far more in our lives by using our brokenness rather than removing it.
When Paul asks for God to remove his weakness God responds in an unexpected way.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
It’s not always easy to see in the moments of dealing with stress and anxiety that feels like its debilitating you, but God’s power is made perfect in those moments. His grace is washing over you.
These moments have actually caused me to cling to Jesus all the more. The ever present reminder is that my weakness can be turned into a moment of blessing. Because it’s through his grace and his power that I am being made whole. It’s not anything I can do myself. And, in some way, that’s freeing.
God has shown me more of who he is in my weakness than in my strength. He has shown me how much I desperately need him and during the times trying to fix it myself. I need to remember that.
It’s a humbling reminder that I can’t hold my own life together. But he can.
It takes our weaknesses for us to realize that we don’t have it all figured out. Even the best of coping mechanisms can fall short. And that’s okay. Maybe God meant for that to happen to show you that it’s not about your own strength or ability, but his.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
