How do we cast our anxieties upon Christ as 1 Peter 5:7 calls us to do? What does it mean to be without anxiety?

By definition, being anxious is having counterproductive worries in regards to one’s circumstances or the unknown (i.e. future). From an eternal kingdom perspective, such worries do not further the spread of the gospel which is a commandment to all Christians — to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20).

By definition, sin is anything that offends God. Aligning with this definition of sin, when we worry or are anxious, we are inadvertently claiming that God is not worthy nor good enough for us to entrust our life to him. I perceive it similarly to if a child were to say to their parents: “I don’t trust you to provide for me or to meet my needs for my good or to be there for me”, would not the parents feel insulted?

In my walk with God, to be without anxiety means to recognize that the God we follow, love, and know, is a God that we can trust to provide and care for all matters in our life. In doing so, rather than focusing on our circumstances, we choose to focus on who our God is and seeking to encounter Him in all ways as we continually lay our burdens at the feet of the cross.

1 Peter 5:7 states: casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. As we grow in our faith and remember his enduring love and faithfulness, our trust in God grows in the process. Communicating our anxieties to Christ by prayer and supplication (google for definition) as we go about our days is an integral part of having a relationship with Christ.

Though God knows us and nothing in our thoughts or speech can be hidden from Him, prayer is an expression of our humble dependency in Him who is in control and a reflection of a two-way relationship. Anxiety and prayer are opposing forces in every Christian’s experience. In accordance to Philippians 4:6–7, we are to respond to our anxieties with prayer, and our prayers should be accompanied with thanksgiving. The act of giving thanks reminds us of God’s goodness, providence, and sufficiency for us in the past and hope in the future.

Read Matthew 6:25–31 to hear the Bible speak to you on the unproductive nature of worrying.

A “fun” activity is to do a little research on the detrimental effects of worrying on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Although worrying in and of itself can spur us into some form of action, too much of it and bad management of it can be bad. As followers of Christ, our outlet for our joys and anxieties should be Christ. He who has already given us the most precious gift of His only Son, would not He care for you and meet all your daily needs and desires?

Encouragement/Assurance: Isaiah 41:10 — fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.