1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
King James Version
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
New International Version
Faith & Trust
In the fast-paced, pressure-filled world we live in, anxiety is an all too familiar foe. Worry, fear, and unease can weigh heavily, robbing us of peace and joy. But the apostle Peter offers an antidote in his first epistle: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
These words from the aged apostle arrive as a gentle command and glorious invitation. Peter instructs believers to deliberately “cast” their anxieties, to consciously release the burdens weighing on their hearts and minds. The Greek verb used here is vivid, depicting hurling or flinging something away with force.
Followers of Christ need not grit their teeth and fret, internalizing anxieties. Instead, Peter calls them to forcefully eject those life-draining worries and cares from their inner beings. This casting requires conscious, volitional effort. Believers must actively lay down their anxieties before the Lord.
And to whom are these anxieties to be cast upon? To God Himself, as Peter affirms He “cares for you.” These anxieties are not released into a void, but handed over to a loving Heavenly Father who attends to His children with tender care and concern. The God who governs galaxies also cares for each individual with infinite compassion.
What comforting words these must have been for Peter’s persecuted audience. Those facing trials, hardship, and suffering could fully offload their anxieties onto the Lord’s capable shoulders. Rather than bearing these burdens themselves, they could release them to the only One mighty enough to handle them.
This remains a powerful truth for believers today. No anxiety is too great or too small to cast upon the Lord. He invites His children to bring all of their fears about the future, stresses over relationships, worries about provision and give it all to Him. Keeping anxieties bottled up breeds unrest, but releasing them to the Lord allows His peace to rule in believers’ hearts.
1 Peter 5:7 paints a beautiful picture of dependent trust. Anxious care is debilitating, but transferring those burdens to the all-caring Lord leads to soul rest and spirit renewal. By grace through faith, believers today can embrace the same radical call – to cast all their cares before the One who has promised to sustain them.
This is a great book to read (8 great works) if you like religious motivation. Christianity, God Explained plus fun stories. I’ve read it several times, especially The Great Divorce:
