The kid's screaming, phone ringing, dog barking at the mailman bringing that stack of bills overdue ... Got a half hour, quick shower, take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour. ~ Phil Vassar
Ugh. Today, nothing is going your way. Maybe your boss is unhappy with you, your kids are testing your patience, you have an overdue assignment, you are constantly prone to making mistakes or the weather is just killing your mood. The only thing on your mind during this hectic day is when you can finally take a hot shower, turn on some Netflix and cuddle in bed with your favorite fluffy blanket.
Maybe it doesn't stop there. Maybe your whole week has been awful and you are just at the breaking point. Maybe bad news, a bad experience or a dreadful upcoming event is just itching in the back of your mind. Then, just when you think you can't take it anymore, here comes another hit to your gut.
This is the part when anxiety strikes. How will I cope with everything that's been happening? How will I pull through this? I can't do this... You can physically feel this weight on your shoulders and your legs feel too tired to carry on. You wish you could go back in time. You wish people understood how you felt. You wish your mind wasn't clouded with panic.
What if I told you, that even though you have every reason to worry, you don't have to? What if I told you that these questions of panic in your head have one simple answer? What if I told you that this, too, shall pass?
Luke 12:25 says, Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? In other words, do you believe that this mess of questions, fear for the future, or anxiety will bring you any closer to a solution? Will another hour be granted to you if only you would just panic about your situation for a little longer? The answer is no; there are some things you just cannot change.
Relax and step back. You must be forgetting something. Who does your future belong to? Who has promised a prosperous plan for you? Who is in control? You are not the one in control here, so stop worrying like you are. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." This is proof that it is okay to relax. Why? Because the Creator of the universe has a prospering plan for you.
Now, about that weight on your shoulders. Begin the unpacking process. In other words, cast your cares on God, our Savior. Psalm 55:22 says, Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Find a quiet place where you can't be distracted. Take some time to devote your full attention to this unpacking process. Talk with God in prayer and lay it all out on the table. Imagine yourself pulling each and every worry out of this weighted pile of yours and giving it over.
I've made mistakes, I've let my hope fail. My soul feels crushed by the weight of this world. And I know that you can give me rest, so I cry out with all that I have left. Let me see redemption win, let me know the struggle ends. That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn. I want to know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life. And all that's dead inside can be reborn. Cause I'm worn. ~ Tenth Avenue North
Yes, you may feel worn and you may be hurting. My friend, you do not have to continue carrying the weight of this world on your shoulders. Cast your cares. Unpack that baggage; hand it over to the One who saves. He can handle it, because there is nothing too awful that God cannot take care of; He is Almighty. Go to sleep at night and let God work behind the scenes for you.
Relief is on its way. Of course, life goes on and bad things still happen to good people. The key is to drop the stress and continue with the confidence that your future, no matter the hardships, will be prosperous.
When my back is pressed up against the wall, with the weight of my worries stacked up tall; You're strong enough to hold it all. I will cast my cares on You. You're the anchor of my hope, the only One who's in control. ~ Finding Favour
