1 Peter 5:7 Anxiety

The text from which our verse comes from is 1 Peter 5:6-11 and is from a context of suffering. During my college days I memorized the sentence in which this verse is found ("Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV), but I never connected, until recently, that anxiety mentioned here was related to suffering due to persecution. Because of that persecution people were losing their jobs and thus their ability to keep their homes or provide the basic needs of their families. If you then found yourself among the homeless, not knowing where you or your family would sleep or where the next meal would be found, you probably would be somewhat anxious. Our verse tells us to cast all your anxieties on him,because he cares for you. This seems to raise at least two questions: "How do we cast our anxieties on him?" And "How will he care for us?"

In response to the first question, consider Philippians 4:6: "Be anxious for nothing,but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (NASB). The command given is "Do not be anxious about anything." Fortunately this command is followed by a second command of instructions. Unfortunately, that which we are to do is usually at the bottom of our list because here in the west we take pride in more practical ways like medication and practical steps of behavior, but to come before God in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving seems like foolishness.

Over the years I have practiced this and found it to be the best and really the only effective way to deal with anxiety. Prayer and supplication is our focus on God not on our anxiety or the cause of it. Thanksgiving is on God's blessing to us that he will meet our needs in his way or see us through the situation. The major problem with this method for us in the west is the period of waiting upon God to respond to our request. Why is waiting important? "But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary. they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 ESV). When suffering occurs, for some reason, and we become anxious we have to decide whether our goal is to try to remove the suffering or to grow through it. Here in the west our goal is to find ways to remove the suffering which is causing the anxiety. If that is not possible without compromising our faith then maybe we will wish we had more practice with God's method. Remember, anxiety is a signal that additional growth is needed. Another reason why God's method is best.

Prayer 

Father, it is my experience that when I am anxious it means that my focus is on me and my situation and not on God and his provision. I have also learned that when I am anxious I need to stop and get quiet before God and share with him how I am doing and thank him for his past abundant provision for me. I pray about what God wants to do in my life through this situation and not how to get over it as soon as possible. I am learning that life is not about safety and comfort, but about becoming more like Jesus.