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. 

 

… without ceasing…

One question in our small group Bible study was, “What makes you feel most loved: when someone says they love you, or when they do actions that show love?” Most in the group said both. A few cited one of the love languages from a book on that topic.

I’ve since thought about it and notice that one way I feel loved is when I’m standing alone in a crowd and someone spots me, their eyes light up and they hurry over to talk.

Today’s reading is about being delighted in God and how nearness to Him is “the only all-satisfying experience of the universe.” In other words, when I see or sense Him, my eyes light up and I rush to talk with Him. “Pray without ceasing” is a reality with constant conversation about everything with Jesus. This is not to make God feel loved but has the reverse effect; it makes me feel loved!

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. (Psalm 63:1–2)

David prayed this way while he was in the wilderness. He was called a man after God’s own heart and that indicates the way we were created to be. I am at my created best when I am longing for God and seeking Him. This can include obeying all His commands, believing all His Word, thanking Him for all His gifts, yet the essence of loving God is enjoying all that He is, delighting in Him, especially when desolation surrounds and life is not comfortable.

This past week was filled with stresses. Strokes and heart attacks in folks too young for such unexpected events. Friends needing financial help, one because of an injury, another because of an accident and unexpected insurance problems, and several who needed help with expenses. Two families were moving, one involving a very pregnant mom who is having her baby today, and the other a young father with many responsibilities besides moving. He was remodeling the house with only a few days to make it livable. We could not physically chip in but everyone involved requested prayer support. My hubby visited a friend dying in hospice care in another city. We had a family pet in surgery and not too happy about it, plus two major celebration events. Add to that some decisions with actions involving our own home.

Each event in itself was bearable, but all happening in a few days felt like too much for people our age! However, the presence of our loving God gave us the attitude and stamina needed, and of course He talked with us.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

PRAY: Jesus, Your presence made the difference in all events and the choices we made. Naps became extremely appealing this week, yet somehow You kept helping us with stamina and choices to do otherwise — move now and nap later. Truly You renew the strength of those who wait upon You — and a huge part of that is also delighting in You and that marvel of constant conversation. My gratitude.

Stress-busting

Another writer took a stress test and the result was double the score of 300+ that says you are overdoing it. I figure I’m not stressed, but took a similar test just to be sure. My score was less than 50.

These tests are not conclusive. Other tests might give different numbers, but this person wondered about a cure for stress so this question has been on my mind. If I had to point to only one thing, for me it is finally realizing that I do not earn the favor of God.

I know this is true for salvation. Eternal life is a gift. The Bible is clear that God gives it apart from anything people do, good or bad. He calls me to obey Him and in discovering that I could not do it, I had no other hope but His mercy.

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)

Today’s devotional reading says that anyone who enters the narrow gate of salvation must do it by themselves. Just like going through a turnstile (see yesterday’s post), only one person at a time, with no baggage, can pass through that narrow gate. We enter His kingdom singly, not in groups, and cannot ride in on the coattails of church, family, or friends.

This narrow gate will not allow me to carry in my sin and self-will, but it cannot accommodate my good deeds either. I know that now, and I knew it when Jesus came into my life. He created a new heart in me, and at that same instant, I believed in Him alone for salvation. The stress came later.

Even though I am saved by mercy and not my own works of righteousness, the idea of trying to please God by good works is a difficult concept to balance. Yes, God is pleased when I obey Him, but even that obedience is from Christ who lives in me, not from me, at least not from me alone or apart from Him. The apostle Paul put it this way,

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. (Galatians 2:20-21)

My old nature, or the old me was put to death (separated from God), but Christ lives in me and gives me new life. Unfortunately, that old nature still tries to run things, and this is where stress comes in.

However, Jesus came to give me abundant life. He also came to lighten my load. His invitation is found in Matthew 11:28-30 . . .

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

In this passage, the first burden, “heavy laden” is the full load of freight, which I tend to carry. The second “burden” that Jesus says is His burden, uses the Greek word for the invoice! In other words, Jesus does not offer me a load that is more than I can carry. Instead, He asks that I take His yoke and learn from Him, and find out what I should be carrying.

All my life I’ve taken on too much. As I grow older, I cannot handle so much. Sadly, I couldn’t while I was younger either, but with more energy then, I didn’t realize it. Over the past few years, God has shown me that when I take on more than He asks, I’m often trying to look good in His eyes, which is totally unnecessary. My worth is not in “works of righteousness” but in Him. All that extra stuff only creates stress for me, also totally unnecessary.

Seeing this truth for salvation is vital, but seeing it for Christian living is no less vital. The Galatians slipped from grace by trying to please God with good deeds, but it doesn’t work that way. For me, trying this was entirely stressful and actually did not please the Lord at all.

Still, I sometimes say “yes” when I should pray first and find out if what has been asked fits His will for me. Moving ahead of God produces stress every time. Praying first, even if He says yes, reduces stress, and knowing that I am in the will of God is a huge stress-buster.

Another thought creeps in. What about all those stress-producing circumstances outside of my control? God gave me the answer to that early in my Christian life. He showed me that Romans 8:28-29 promise that He will use all things for my good, to transform me into the likeness of His Son. He has totally convinced me of that reality. No matter what happens, seeing trials and challenges as opportunities to grow, even if they are totally unpleasant, reduces stress.

The Gospel is good news. It is good news for sinners in need of salvation, but it is also good news for saints who get caught in the trap of a driven sort of busyness, particularly one that becomes an effort to be super-spiritual. I cannot please or impress God or anyone else when I’m overburdened and heavy laden. The cure is taking on only that which Christ wants from me, no less, but certainly no more. His yoke is easy, His burden is light.