Finding Peace in the Middle of Anxietyنموونە

Jesus Cares About Us

In today’s Scripture, Peter uses a fishing term when he tells us what to do with our anxiety. Cast it all on Jesus, he says. Throw that stuff out there, get rid of it, heave or hurl it away. In the same way, a fisherman casts his line way out into the deep water, Peter says to cast away all the things we are worried about.

The really good news about this:

As followers of Jesus, when we cast our anxiety away, we don’t just send it out into the atmosphere somewhere. When Jesus invites us to throw it all onto him, he truly wants to catch it.

In kindergarten P.E., kids learn about the basic skills of throwing and catching. Both the thrower and the catcher have important jobs.

The thrower needs to focus on their target (the catcher).

The catcher’s job is to be “ready”—looking at the ball with hands open, expecting to catch it.

Can we picture Jesus this way? As our catching partner with his eyes focused on us and his hands open to receive all the anxieties that are overwhelming our hearts?

As I write this, I hold a bulky ball of anxiety in my hands. My worries about so many things and people have increased lately, and the weight seems extra heavy today. Jesus is reminding me that he can handle it all. He can take care of them, he can take care of me, and he promises hope and good and peace.

He’s nudging me to cast this all on him, but as usual, I hesitate. Is he ready to catch it?
What if he already has his hands full?
What if my throw is a bit off target?

What if I am too worn out to make the throw?

That’s when I remember the even better news about this:

The reason Jesus asks us to cast our worries and cares on him is because of the devoted, wise, and unconditional compassion he feels for us. He wants to take ALL of our anxious thoughts and feelings because he cares so much.

He is extremely interested in us.
He is protectively looking out for us.
He is always thinking about us, watching us carefully, and deeply concerned with how our hearts are doing.
He is focused and ready even when we are not. All we have to do is keep our eyes on him and throw.