READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 1 PETER 5:6-7

Has a Bible verse ever hit you like a freight train—in a good way? I had that experience a couple months ago. I was going through a very stressful time in life with a number of large, sometimes painful decisions in front of me. I was weighed down, desperately trying to work through several problems in my own life while also coming alongside others experiencing problems in their lives.

I was reading through 1 Peter 5, and I came across verse 7: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” I have read this verse dozens or hundreds of times, but this time it hit right at my heart. The breath rushed out of my body. I realized that I was clinging to my worries and cares, believing the lie that it would be irresponsible not to worry about them. I couldn’t give them over to God because it was my job to figure them all out.

It’s so easy to fall into this lie because, like many people, I want control over my own life. I don’t want God’s solutions to my problems; I want my solutions—and I want them now. God’s solutions might be uncomfortable, or they might take too long, or they might require too much from me. All these fears and lies and sinful desires can swirl around in my mind, clouding my vision and making it harder to see God with clarity.

But once I lay these down at Jesus’s feet and the smoke clears, I can finally see what God has been telling me. He loves me. His ways are so much better than my ways. And, yes, His solutions may be uncomfortable. They probably won’t arrive on my timetable. And they might require a lot from me. But, when I’m not clinging so tightly to control, I’m able to see how God is reaching for my hand, inviting me to depend on His strength instead of my own. He’s walking with me, providing everything I need. I really can give all my worries and cares to Him, because He really does care about me. • Taylor Eising

• Are there any worries you’ve been clinging to? Does it feel like it would be irresponsible not to worry about them? Consider taking some time to bring these worries to God.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)