Hurling Anxieties

Most of us know that the Bible says, in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” The problem, says our teacher Tom, is that the words slide through our minds with little impact because they’re so familiar. The word cast really means hurl (think shotput). It’s a vigorous verb. Notably, God doesn’t demean our anxieties, or say, “Tut tut, surely you’re not anxious!?” No, he acknowledges that we get anxious, and he tells us what to do with our anxieties. And if they come back, we can hurl them on God again…and again. What do I have to do to obey this? I think first I need to own the anxiety, to pick it up and admit that it’s mine. If I’m in denial, because after all it’s not very spiritual to be anxious, I’ll never grab it firmly enough to hurl it away. It seems I may have been denying or glossing over my anxieties lately. Digging less deeply into life, stepping gingerly over the surface, ignoring the anxieties that God knows exist in the presence of this kind of cancer. I guess that’s why I stopped praying for my own healing (hoping the prayers of others would be enough). Sunday school yesterday morning was a healthy dose of reality for me, and I’m thankful.

Our friend who needs a kidney is seeing some progress. A woman in our class has offered to donate a kidney if she matches. Tomorrow the patient goes to Wake Forest to learn if it’s a match. Would you help us pray for her? Also tomorrow I’m scheduled for another kemo. I’m asking God to direct it to the cancer cells and destroy them. I am so grateful for your prayers.

Blessings,
Carol