"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
— 1 Peter 5:7
We wake up today with that knot in the chest, that sense of weight that anxiety brings. Perhaps it is uncertainty about the future, an important decision to be made, or simply that constant murmur of worries that seem never to end. The truth is that anxiety is one of the most prevalent emotions in modern life, and many Christians feel guilty for experiencing it, as if it were a failure of faith. But the apostle Peter offers us a liberating perspective: we are not called to carry the weight of our worries alone.
In the context of 1 Peter 5, the apostle writes to a community of believers facing persecution and real suffering. This was not vague or superficial counsel; it was practical guidance for people living in genuinely difficult situations. Peter acknowledges that anxiety is real, but also offers a concrete action: to "cast" our worries onto God. The Greek word used here (epirrhiptō) literally means "to throw upon," suggesting a deliberate and even physical act of surrender. It is not merely thinking about God; it is an active movement of transferring responsibility.
The reason we can do this is revolutionary: "because he cares for you." God does not merely exist or hear our prayers from afar; He actively cares for us. This word "cares" (merimnaō in Greek) means to be deeply interested, to genuinely concern oneself with someone's well-being. It is the complete opposite of indifference. When we hand over our anxiety, we do not transfer it into a void or to chance; we place it in the hands of One who truly cares and has the power to act. That is the difference between simply letting go of worry and truly releasing it.
The practical application of this requires honesty. Begin by naming specifically what makes you anxious. Do not say generically "I have many worries"; be precise: "I am anxious about my health," "I am afraid of failing in this project," "I feel insecure about my family's future." Then, in a concrete act of faith, deliberately place that before God in prayer. It may seem simple, but there is power in naming, confronting, and surrendering. Afterward, when anxiety returns—and it will return—gently refuse it. Say: "I have already given this to God. He is taking care of it. I trust Him."
On this day, you are not alone with your worries. God sees, knows, and cares. The peace you seek does not come from perfect circumstances, but from a heart that has learned to rest in the trustworthiness of God. Anxiety is the invitation to know more deeply the faithfulness of the One who never abandons us.