Cast All of Your Anxieties on Him

I won’t change the title or theme of this blog, but I do have a confession.  I haven't been so positive this week.  As a mom, I’ve been helping my children get accustomed to middle school and high school.  I’ve been in a great deal more traffic with drop-off loops, and I’m sure my children now fully understand the rules of right-of-way, based on my recent remarks.  I wrote in last week’s blog that my husband would be teaching for the first time.  His first week with students is now in the books.  Let’s just say my love and support were vital this week as the word, “knucklehead” suddenly became a part of his vocabulary. 
 
And then there’s my work.  Unlike teachers, I’ve worked all summer—largely in preparation for the return of teachers and students.  I make every effort to support our teachers in any way I can, beyond my title or even beyond my expertise, if necessary.  This week’s requests from teachers have been beyond what I could deliver.  Throughout the week, the “undeliverables” were mounting, as was my frustration.  Feelings of inadequacy have been on my mind, this week, as needs I couldn’t fulfill continued to pour in via email.  On Friday afternoon, as I picked my son up from school, a teacher caught up with me, “Hey Mrs. Massey, I was going to email you before I left today!” I cowered, a bit, in fear of what might be requested.  Would he ask if I could get another teacher hired to give him smaller classes?  Would he ask me about his access to the online textbook?  Would he ask if I could rework his students’ schedules to better disperse the ability levels?  Would he ask if I could use a portion of my budget to offset the student costs for a field study?  “So, last year you gave me a Periodic Table and I hung it.  I didn’t laminate it like you suggested, but I did hang it.  When I took it down for testing, it ripped.  Is there any possibility you could get me another one?” 
 
For those who may not know God, let me share why this question was from God.  Over the course of a week an infinite number of things happen as we go through life, some good and some we judge as bad.  I didn't personally experience anything life-altering, although other people may have.  Even so, I wasn’t feeling so good about myself, about my ability to perform my job, about my ability to meet the needs of the people I am supposed to serve.  I had begun to question whether this was even the job for me.  I had been praying about these thoughts and feelings all week, and just as the week ended, the Lord sent someone to ask me for something I could deliver with no problems at all!  To replace this Periodic Table wouldn’t require a meeting, or any phonecalls.  I wouldn't have to email someone else and wait for their reply.  I wouldn’t I have to write a grant, or use Google translate.  I needed that! 
 
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.”  He cares about our needs large and small.  In the grand realm of needs, my need to feel adequate was small, so small that someone might think I should have chosen something else as the subject for this blog.  When we read that verse it says, cast all, not some, not just the big issues, but all of our anxieties should be given over to Him.  
 
John, in the second chapter, tells of Jesus and His disciples attending a wedding.  “When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’”  (John 2:3)  As the story continues, Jesus, although the time for His glory had not yet arrived, told the servants to fill six stone jars, that were normally used for washing, with water.  Then they were to draw some of it out to give to the master of ceremonies.  It was wine—and better wine than that which was originally bought for the wedding. (John 2:7-10) This story is often cited as one of the miracles Jesus performed, and it is, but it’s more than that!  It is a testament of how much He cares for us.  My husband and I didn't have wine at our wedding, we toasted with sparkling cider.  To me, running out of wine at a wedding is not a big deal.   For this couple, however, running out of wine could have been very stressful.  The guests may have become unruly, or begun to rumor that the family could not afford enough wine, we don’t know.  Jesus cared for this couple and their family.  He provided just what they needed at just the right time. 
 
No matter how big or how small we deem our needs, Jesus cares.  What are you holding on to trying to do it yourself, trying to make sense of it yourself, getting frustrated, crying, thinking nobody cares, thinking you are making a mountain our of a molehill?  Cast all (not some) of your anxieties on Him.  He truly does care for His people. 


​Thank you for reading!
Have a wonderfully blessed week!
Kim

Copyright 2018 by Kimberly Griffith Anderson