Casting and Resting in Christ

Stress is an odd enemy. My head says that I trust God and that all will be well, but my body is not listening. We go to the hospital and see our granddaughter in casts and bandages, and despite her good humor, and my faith in God as I watch Him bless her with an amazing attitude, my body protests as if the world is falling apart.

I did a search on AI and found that this is common. Even though the mind is relaxed, it takes the body time to catch up. This search gave these solutions: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help prevent muscle spasms and inflammation. Be mindful of my posture when sitting, standing, and even sleeping to reduce strain on my muscles. Do some gentle exercise and stretching. Eat well and make sure I get enough calcium and vitamin D. And finally, incorporate stress-management techniques into my daily routine. 

Here is where biblical truths come in. These verses come to mind:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)

In the NT church, Christians were scattered and suffered. Their worries targeted their faith and most certainly their bodies felt the tensions. Casting all care on the Lord was not about pretending life was fine, but to trust that Christ’s care is deeper than fears and stresses. 

Just before Peter calls me to cast my cares on Jesus, he says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” (1 Peter 5:6) Monday during Bible study I stressed that I cannot obey God apart from the Holy Spirit. Being helpless is the key to obedience because helplessness means I must depend on the Lord and not on any DIY method. This is the only way I can do it. Otherwise, I will try in my own strength.

One writer says, “Faith casts its cares because it has surrendered its self-reliance. Pride clings to control; faith releases it into the hands that were pierced for us. The gospel alone makes such surrender possible, because in the cross we see that God’s mighty hand is not against us but for us. The One who bore our sins also bears our sorrows.”

While the solutions AI gave are not a magical cure for stress management (AI does not know Jesus), the principle is there. Trusting God does not take away the stress of life or make me not care and become passive. His care is there and when I trust Him, my mind is given joy and eventually that proper time for exaltation comes, usually quicker than expected. 

Monday, I handled stress with truth. Tuesday, my body suffered incredible pain. I gave it all to Jesus, accepting it as His will. Wednesday the pain was gone. This is a spiritual war about being obedient to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30), a battle that totally mystifies my doctor.

PRAY: So as I cast my stresses and the struggles of our granddaughter on You, the enemy wants me to worry and be anxious. Yet You are having Your way in her life — and I must not let concerns for her control my faith in You. I cannot base my confidence on nonchalance or what I hope will happen, but on Your grace, trusting that Your will is the important thing. Also, it helps to know that bodily reactions to stress and not the indicator of Your love and mercy. You will do what You will do, regardless of my aches or lack of aches. I will drink enough water and eat right and so on, but I will also pray without ceasing, casting my cares on You with thanksgiving, and experience whatever You send, trusting You to have Your way in her life, and in mine. You care and have all the strength I need. That is enough to give me rest. 

 

Priority of Worship

 

READ Revelation 1–5

The temptation in reading this passage is trying to identify modern day churches that fit these descriptions. While that is not the intention, I can see how the warnings could fit any church. Rather than say this is our congregation or the one down the street, God wants His people of every era to pay attention to their lives and what they are conveying to an unbelieving world. These warnings and promises could apply to individuals also.

The first church is hanging in there, but their motivation has slipped. They have endured without getting tired, but not because they love Jesus. They need to repent and live for Christ because He takes first place in their lives. (Revelation 2:3–5)

The second church is not well off financially and have satanic forces among them. For this they will be tested. Some will go into prison and some will die. They need to know that if they belong to Jesus, this will not destroy them because, “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” (2:9–11)

The third church allowed stumbling blocks, such as “the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality” and “some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” They needed turn from such things and receive “some of the hidden manna” to help them go the right way. (2:14–17)

Another church tolerated a woman “prophetess” who taught the people to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. She refused to repent. The Lord would throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation, unless they repent. He would strike her children dead. This is to show the church to know that He searches mind and heart, and will give to each according to theirs works. (2:20–24)

The fifth church was in the most trouble. John told them: “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” However, some were walking with Him and He would “never blot their name out of the book of life.” (3:1–5)

The sixth church kept His word in patient endurance, and would not experience the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world. The Lord says, “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” (3:10–12)

But the seventh was “lukewarm” so He would spit them out. They thought they didn’t need anything, failing to realize they were “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” He told them what as He told the others: to be zealous and repent for He was standing at the door and knocking, calling each one to a deeper fellowship with Him. (3:16–20)

The goal is that all who follow Him, imperfect as we are, will give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne and worship Him forever and ever saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (4:8–11)

I realize that worship from the heart is vital for with it, everything else falls into place.