Day 7 — Cast Your Cares

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

— 1 Peter 5:7 (BSB)

Imagine going on a hike with a backpack. At first it feels light. But then you start picking up rocks along the trail. One rock for a worry about school. Another rock for a fight with a friend. Another for something you heard on the news. Another for a problem at home. Soon your backpack is so heavy you can barely walk.

That’s what worry does. Anxiety is another word for worry: that tight, nervous feeling you get when you’re afraid something bad might happen. Carrying worries all the time is exhausting.

Peter says to “cast all your anxiety on Him.” To cast means to throw. Fishermen cast their nets into the water. Peter was a fisherman, so he knew all about casting! He’s saying: take your worries and throw them onto God. Don’t keep carrying them yourself.

Notice the word “all.” Not just the big worries. Not just the ones that seem important enough to bother God with. All of them. Worries about grades, friends, your body, your family, the future. God wants every single one.

And why should we throw our worries on God? Because “He cares for you.” That’s the whole reason. God isn’t annoyed by your worries. He isn’t too busy. He cares about you, and He’s strong enough to carry anything.

How do you actually cast your cares on God? You tell Him about them in prayer. Name each worry. Then picture yourself handing it to Him, like taking a heavy rock out of your backpack and putting it into His strong hands.

Sometimes you’ll hand a worry to God, and ten minutes later you’ll notice you’ve picked it back up again. That’s normal! Just give it back to Him again. And again. You can do that as many times as you need to.

And remember, God often helps us through people. If a worry keeps coming back, talk to a parent or another grown-up you trust. Sharing a heavy load makes it lighter.

Think about it: What worries are in your “backpack” right now?

Try this: Write each of your worries on a small piece of paper. Pray about each one, then put them all in a box or jar labeled “Given to God.”

Dear God, thank You that You care for me. Right now, I’m worried about [name your worries]. I throw all of them onto You. Please carry them for me. When I pick them back up, help me give them to You again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.