If you can, close your eyes and take a moment to just breathe. Feel your breath start to move in and out, and as you do, start to visualize yourself breathing in the Holy Spirit and breathing out your anxiety. Spirit in. Anxiety out.
Worry is such a natural part of our everyday lives. We worry about what we’re going to eat, wear, drive, achieve. What will our kids grow up to be? How will we afford that house? What if we get sick? Will people judge us if we let our light shine? Before long we’re all knotted up and popping antacids like there’s no tomorrow.
But what if instead of worrying about things beyond our control, we put the responsibility on the One who actually does have the power to control such things?
I Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.“
The verb cast means to “stop worrying and trust,” but it also means to “put responsibility on” another. Peter is telling us that we can put all the responsibility on God to take care of those worries for us. Additionally, the word all means exactly that: ALL…every. single.one. No concern is too small or too large for our great God. He takes responsibility for each one, and His reasoning is simply that He wants to. His concern is for us!
In fact, He cares so much about every detail of our lives that He was willing to do what no one else would even consider. That’s a whole lot of care, friend!
So, the next time anxiety creeps back into our thoughts, we remember how deeply He cares and we put the responsibility on the One who can carry the load. Breathe in His Spirit. Exhale out the anxiety. Just breathe.
This Reflecting Light and others will be published in April’s new book Made to Shine: 90 Devotions to Enjoy and Reflect God’s Light to be released on May 5, 2020. Preorder your copy from Amazon today!
Thank you for this message. I , like many our sisters struggle with the “what ifs”. I continually try to lay everything that troubles me at Christ’s feet, but I sometimes try to problem solve on my own, fix everything on my own, face challenges on my own. I know this is not his way, and I am a work in progress. Jesus is not finished with me yet. He knows my path, and in him all things are possible. He is my strength and my shield. I continually have to take a breath and remind myself of this 🙂
Thank you April Rodgers for this amazing idea. I love it. I read this article in the DayStar magazine Summer 2020 edition. I even posted this blog post on my Facebook page. You’ve turned the deep breathing concept into a Christian practice that I could embrace. I started using it immediately.
Thank you for your comment, Jennifer! I love it that we serve a God who takes on the responsibility so that we don’t have to carry the weight. Keep breathing Him in!