Let It Go

“…casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7

God knows that we are but dust. He is well familiar with our situation, which is why it’s all the more amazing that He would send His Son to die for us. He knew that we could not save ourselves, that we were lost in a cesspool of sin, self and death. And still He chose to stand side by side with us.

Think about the lengths to which Jesus went in order to identify with us. He didn’t have any sin, yet He decided to be baptized. When Jesus approached John for baptism, John replied, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"—Matthew 3:14. And how did Jesus respond? He answered, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness"—Matthew 3:15. In order for Jesus to save us, to take our struggles, sins, self, sickness and sufferings upon Himself, He had to stand in our place. As the author of Hebrews wrote,

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need”—Hebrews 4:14-16.

Jesus alone was truly able to sympathize with our weaknesses. And He alone is truly able to help us in the midst of them. And it is to Him that we pour out our pains and petitions. He is the one on whom we cast our anxieties. And why? Because He cares for us. Peter knew this truth all too well. He is the one who walked with Jesus day in and day out for the better part of three years. He knew firsthand how much Jesus cared for him and countless others. And he knew that he could cast all of his anxieties on Jesus, because Jesus cared for him.

Jesus cares for you. He wants you to throw all of your anxieties at His feet, to let them go. Quit holding on to your pains and problems—lay them at Jesus’ feet. What are the struggles that you are going through? Take them to Him. What are the pains you’re feeling? Take them to Jesus. What is the situation in which you find yourself? Pour out your heart to Him. Don’t go to Jesus pouring out what you think you should say; pour out exactly what is in your heart. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us”—Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer, p. 22.

And when we do this, when we let go of our sins and struggles, when we pour out the pains and problems of our heart to Him, God’s Spirit intercedes:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God”—Romans 8:26-27.

Know that God cares for you. He loves you. He sent His Son to die for you. And He has promised to never leave you (Matthew 28:20). Cast your burdens upon Him. And when you do, know and trust that He will send His resources to help, encourage, and strengthen you. Amen.