How to Cast Your Cares on the Lord

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT FEAR?  ABOUT WORRIES AND ANXIETIES?  DON’T DO IT.  DON’T HAVE THEM.

Though we know we are to not worry and that we are to cast our cares on the Lord, how many actually do it?  This isn’t because we aren’t willing to but because WE DON’T KNOW HOW; and we don’t actually think we CAN do it.  There is an underlying thought that we excuse our worrying with, “God knows I can’t do that.”

But why did God tell us so many times not to fear, not to have anxieties or worries?  Because He doesn’t want us to do it and He knew it could be a constant temptation. He told us not to worry not just to give us another thing to have to do to please Him but because He actually cares for us. Worry, fear, stress – these are things we are not designed to carry, things that will kill our bodies over time. So it would benefit us greatly to learn how to do what God says to do and then to actually DO IT.

(See February 26 article on Freedom from Fear).

1 Peter 5:7 (Amplified) – Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all you concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

Phillips – You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern.

Living Bible – Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.

In the Bible, we are told not to worry and many, many times we are told to “fear not.”  How many times does God have to tell us something before we actually think we have to do it?

Thank God the Bible doesn’t just tell us WHAT to do; but also teaches us HOW TO do it.

The key here to successfully getting your cares to stay on Him lies in the end of the verse, “because He cares for you.”  If you don’t know how much He actually cares for you, you can’t rest and trust in Him and let go of you cares, and they will keep coming back. As some of the translations say, “He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully,” “You are His personal concern,” “He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” These kinds of thoughts are the cure to worry, anxiety and fear.

Throughout His Word, God doesn’t just tell us not to fear; He always gives us reasons to not fear.  He says such things as, “fear not, FOR I am with you,” fear not, FOR I will help you,” “fear not, FOR I will never leave your nor forsake you.” Take a look at these fear not scriptures and look for reasons not to fear.

It is the reality and awareness of His love, care and present help that pushes out the fear; it is not just trying to stop being afraid and striving to stop worrying.  It must be replaced at the very depth of your beliefs with the knowledge that He actually does care about you, is with you and will take care of you.

Casting your cares on the Lord involves a trading of your present anxious thoughts with thoughts of Him, of His love, His care, His character and His sure promises.  But it is at more than a superficial level.  You must replace the thoughts at the level of your heart.  That sometimes takes time.  Taking the time to replace your thoughts and renew your mind to His love and care is not as hard as struggling to believe and make your cares stay on Him – year after year after year, until you finally just give up. Take hold of Him and focus your mind on Him. This will force the cares out. You can get rid of cares by taking the time, effort and concentration to enter His presence through praise and worship and letting your mind focus on Him and His good promises rather than the problems you are tempted to worry about.

Knowing and believing His perfect love for you will displace the fear.  It will push it out and replace it.  As it says in the Amplified Bible, perfect, complete love will turn fear out the door and expel every trace of terror.

1 John 4:16-18 – We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love…There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels ever trace of terror!  For fear brings with it the thought of punishment and he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love.

More Scriptures on this:

Philippians 4:6-8 – Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving continue to make your requests know to God.  And God’s peace which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  And then think about what is good, pure, etc.

Isaiah 26:3 – You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.

Instead of worrying, pray.  And with thanksgiving that God has heard your prayer (BECAUSE HE SAYS HE DOES!), turn your thoughts from the problem onto Him and His promises.  Then you will have peace that will replace the worries and anxieties.  To keep the peace, you will have to keep your mind on Him and on the good things God has promised to do and not let it go back to whatever is troubling you..

Notice again it is passing your cares onto the Lord (through prayer). It involves actually trusting Him from your heart, releasing the weight of these things onto Him – because you really and truly know how much He loves you and therefore that He will actually do something about your problems.

Psalms 55:22 (Amplified) – Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Here is what He will do when you give Him your burdens: He will not allow you to be moved, made to slip, fall or fail.

Psalm 112:7-8 – He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.  His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

I can live without fear of bad news when my heart is steadfast – TRUSTING IN THE LORD!  Then my heart will be secure and I will have no fear – and in the end I will look in triumph on my foes.

Psalm 37:5 gives these steps:

1. Commit your way to the Lord, roll and repose each care of your load on Him.
2. Trust also in Him.
3. He will bring it to pass.

You can commit things to Him, but without the middle step of you trusting in Him, He doesn’t have your cares; you do – and He won’t be able to work for you and bring to pass the things you need. But when your cares are in His hands, He will work for you and deliver you and bring you out – EVERY TIME!

Matthew 6:25-33 (Amplified) – Stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life…your Father feeds the birds and clothes the grass with flowers.  He knows what your needs are.  And if you seek Him first, He will provide all your needs.

How can you stop being anxious?  Know that He knows your needs, that He feeds the birds and clothes the grass.  How much more will He take care of you? YOUR FATHER knows what you need even before you ask.

2 Timothy 1:12 – I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of and am acquainted with) Him whom I have believed and I am (positively) persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which I have committed to Him until that day.

You can know that when you cast your cares on Him, He is able to guard and keep that which is entrusted to Him.

Isaiah 41:10-14 – Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.  Yes, all who are incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.  You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.

He doesn’t want you to cast your cares on Him so that He can watch your struggle and suffer in your problems.  He wants to fight for you and give you victory.  He will help you, strengthen you and uphold you.  All the problem against you will be ashamed and disgraced, and those who strive against you will be as nothing and perish.  No weapon formed against you will prosper.

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 – When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots, an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.  Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops, and shall say to them: Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies.  Do not lose heart, or be afraid, or panic, or be in dread of them; for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory.

Don’t be afraid no matter what battle you face. Why? for the Lord our God is with you. He goes with you TO FIGHT FOR YOU against your enemies, TO GIVE YOU VICTORY.

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 – Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.  …It is the LORD who goes before you.  He will be with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.

He will not fail you or forsake you. He goes before you. He is with you. THIS IS THE REASON NOT TO FEAR AND THE CURE FOR FEAR! Replace you anxious thoughts with these thoughts. Say them to yourself.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (Amplified)– …for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

We take comfort from what He has said, and boldly say the same thing. Say, “He is with me!” “He cares for me!” “He will help me!” He knows what I need and will provide it!” He will not fail me!” “The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid!” You can say anything about yourself that He has said about you. Say it loudly! Say it boldly! This will dispel the fear!

Luke 8:50 – Fear not.  Only believe. Replace fear with faith. Replace anxiety with trust. He will not fail you. He will take care of you.

Romans 8:15-16 – For I did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.  Now I am His very own child. because God is my Father, I can know He will take a Father’s part and take care of me.

Psalm 23:4 – Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil for you are with me…

John 14:27 – My peace I have given you; do not let your heart be troubled.

Psalm 27:1 – The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.

Psalm 118:6-7 – The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?  The Lord takes my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

the Lord is on my side. He takes part with them that help me.  THEREFORE, I will see my desire upon those that hate me.

What wonderful promises God has given us to enable us to escape the world and become partakers of His provision!

SUMMARY: To cast your cares on the Lord you must force them out (cast them out) with thoughts of His care, of His love and mercy.  Anxious, fearful thoughts must be replaced with thoughts of Him and a sense of His love and continual presence. He has given us His word to cure our fears. When we take Him at His Word and trust Him from our heart, we will find we have peace and relief, security and confidence instead of anxiety, stress and fear.

Today, be a doer of the Word of God.  Cast your cares upon Him. Take His thoughts instead to replace them.