Lay Them Down

“Lay Them Down”

By Zach Wood

1 Peter 5:7 NIV- Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

NLT- Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

I read this passage this morning on my YouVersion Bible app and it really hit home with me.  When I looked up both translations that I often like reading, both of them really spoke to me.  God wants me to cast all of my anxiety on Him.  Another way to look at it is giving all of my worries and cares to Him.  Laying them all down before Him and letting them go.  Why?  So that I can fully focus on Him and not let them consume me.

I have a hunch that many of you reading this are experiencing the same issues in your life.  Are you feeling anxious a lot lately?  Are you overcome with worry?  Are you overwhelmed with concerns that are going on in your life? 

God definitely does not want us to live a life consumed with anxiety, worries and concerns.  When we are consumed with these, we cannot focus on Him.  So often we let our lives become dominated with these burdens.  I have always had a bad habit of letting worry consume me.  I don’t try to, but it just happens so often.  I am trying more and more each day to give these things to God and let Him fill me with peace.

I need to remember every single day to lay them down before Him and ask Him to fill me with His presence and let Him consume me instead.  I think we all need to be intentional about leaving these things at His feet each day so that we can live lives full of Him. 

I do not want my daily life full of anxiety and worries and concerns and I must be intentional about giving these to God each day.  We must all be intentional.  Perhaps you need to write these down so that they are all on paper and then pray about them.  Be intentional to mention to God each day the specific things that are making you worry and be anxious, asking Him to give you peace and to take away the consuming feeling of focusing on them.

However you feel like you need to give them up to Him, do it.  Fill your mind with Scripture and positive Christian music through the day.  Read a book that inspires you and encourages you to put positive thoughts in your mind. 

Check out the song “Cast My Cares” by the group Finding Favour on YouTube.  Listen to the words and let the message of this song fill you with hope. 

Lay all your anxiety, worries and concerns down.  Lay them all down before Him.