Lay Your Cares at the Foot of the Cross

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? I can hand off my worries and cares to God and let Him take them so I can go about other things.

So, why isn’t it that easy? Why do I find myself still worried and stressed out if all I have to do is give my cares to God?

I’ve found that giving my cares to God isn’t a one time act. If new fears and worries aren’t surrounding me, I’m trying to take back what I’ve already handed off.

Maybe you do this too. Consciously or without even realizing it, we start to wonder if God will really take care of what we’re worried about. We let doubt creep in. We get impatient with God’s timing. We question if He will handle the issue the way we think it should be handled. And we start to worry. Again.

Here is where we need to catch ourselves when it first begins. We cannot let the enemy put doubts in our head. And he will try to do just that!

Often to stop the fear and doubt, I have to give them to God again. And again and again, if necessary.

Thanks to Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can lay our fears and burdens at the foot of the cross, and ask Him for the help we need to leave them there. Each time we want to pick them up and take them back, we need to stop and pray. Each time we start to worry, stop and pray.   
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4:6-7 The Message)
Will you pray with me?

Dear Lord Jesus,

I bring ___________________ (insert your fear, worry, burden) to You at the foot of the cross. Please take it from me. Forgive me for all the times I give You my worries and cares only to take them back again, thinking I can take care of it myself. I know You can and will handle it. Please give me the strength to relinquish control, to give it to You and to leave it with You.

Give me the strength to submit my will for Yours. I can only see my way to handle this, but I know You have unlimited ways and they are all better than mine.

I put my trust in You…Your Will…and Your Way.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
                                                
Thanks for joining me here today! If you’re studying Micca Campbell’s An Untroubled Heart with me, we’re in Chapter 8 “Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown.” I hope you’ll visit again soon!

In Christ,
Laura

16 comments:

  1. Wow...,I wrote about casting all my cares before him today.....and I think this is the 4th other post similar. God must really be trying to reinforce in my mind to give it all to Him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love how He brings us together with similar thoughts, concerns, and Scripture!

      Delete
  2. Amen, so true. Give it all to Him.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I do really well with this until something happens like. . .my husband finding a lump under his arm. Oh, I pray and I worry. So hard to let those worries go! Today the doctor told us the lump was nothing to worry about. Phillipians said the same thing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. There are times when we have a "burden" for a person, that we might think it is worry. If we pray until we sense the release ( It is enough) then we are casting that care on the Lord. Better not to touch that thought again, except to thank God that He is working on that request.
    I like the line in your prayer that says, "Please give me the strength to relinquish control, and leave it there." Reminds me of that old Hymn, Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there. Some of those old hyms are good to review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment! God bless!

      Delete
  5. Hi Laura - I love how you say that sometimes you have to release your burden to Him over and over. Makes me feel I am not alone.
    God bless and thanks for linking up. Look forward to seeing you there next week :)
    Tracy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Amen! This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this prayer with us.

    I just happen to write about finding all in Him.

    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Instead of worrying, pray."
    This is a great line. It gives us something to do besides simply trying to not worry.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good point! We feel like we should be doing something & we should -- praying (instead of worrying!)
      Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!

      Delete
  8. What a beautiful prayer and devotion. My Lord is my everything. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I remember that Oswald Chambers once challenged that we should be aware of "what we are at our wit's end over". I use that as a plumb line for what I am allowing to get between me and God.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Laura:

    I'm guilty of taking back my cares and concerns again and again. Your prayer is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Joan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Joan, I'm guilty of the same thing. Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  11. I who am so helpless, give the Lord my concerns for two little girls who need a forever, loving home that believes in the way of our Lord. I leave them at the foot of cross, in the Name of Jesus Christ.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.