The other day, Ann and I were talking about “care.” Being a super sensitive guy, at one time, unknowingly, I was very proud of how much I cared for people. Ann told me it was my badge of honor. I agreed. Care helped identify me and, as a result, I didn’t want it taken from me. I didn’t know God could replace it with His peace.
In the 1980s, Ann and I each had nervous breakdowns – We’d gotten that sick on care. Honestly, it was the result of the fear of man and wanting to please too many people. That will always demolish you with care. At that time, even though we couldn’t totally identify what He was up to, God was beginning to give us a choice regarding care – He even gave us visions about care. He began to set before us each day life (casting all our care on Him) or death (taking care on ourselves, drowning in it more and more, and not doing the right thing which is to cast it all on Christ.)
(What does Jesus command us to do with care?)
Care is huge in Christians circles. Most churches run on it. It brings in lots of money. I believe most pastors leave the ministry because they’re overwhelmed and drown in care.
(What does Jesus command us to do with care?)
For most of my life, I was taking on so much care. As I’ve come to find out, care was just a religious thing I’d believed in. It made me want to please others to the point of choking the life out of me. Care only ever wore me out, left me worried, upset, frantic, confused, angry, not able to truly believe and live in Romans 8:28 and so many other scriptures that told me to trust God, to praise Him in all things, and to let His peace rule in my heart. I simply did not know care was destroying me and I certainly didn’t know Jesus could eliminate from my life or how He would even do it.
(What does Jesus command us to do with care?)
One of the most wonderful experiences you will ever have with Jesus is to ask Him to show you how to remove all “care” from your life. We really believe that having Jesus taking all care on Himself and off of us is a huge part of learning to live on the narrow road the Bible speaks about.
Casting all your care upon him (Jesus); for (because) he (Jesus) careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (the devil will devour you with care):
1 Peter 5:7-8
You can still love others and be care-free. In fact, I don’t know if we can really love others, point them to Christ and have Jesus’ peace operating in us until we learn how to cast all of our (and the cares of others) care on Christ.
Jesus wants us to let His peace rule our hearts and a huge part of that happening in us is to obey Him by living free of care. Please ask Jesus to show you how to remove care from your life by casting all of it on Him. It will bless you in so many wonderful ways.
We love you all.
God bless,
Mark and Ann