casting my cares
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” I know that. Cognitively. He cares for me. He cares about what I care about. I should cast my anxiety upon Him.
All too often, though, I subconsciously take the word cast to mean the same as it does in fishing. I give it to God, but I’m still hanging on to the other end. As far as I throw it, as much as I give it over, it’s still attached to me. Because I’m holding on tight.
“But I gave it to God…” I try to convince myself. Meanwhile I’m poised and ready to reel it back in whenever I want. And reel I do. I decide to take it back from God’s hands. Which means I think it’s better off in my capable hands than in His.
Oh to be so smug.
I looked up the word cast in the dictionary. When it’s not referring to fishing, it means to get rid of, to discard, to throw off or throw away; to hurl or fling.
I need to let that sink in a bit. I need to let it sink in a lot.
When I give something to God, I need to hurl it at Him (He can handle the blow), get rid of it (forever), throw it off me (with as much vigor as I can muster). And then I need to leave it there. For good.
Sigh…
“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you…”
I’m trying…
[originally posted on this day two years ago]
first of all – one of my pictures is in your carousel!!!!!!!!! that’s SO EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! theresa – the old woman sitting on her porch. she was a devout catholic. she gave us oranges. she was beautiful.
second – one year at camp we climbed this mountain. more like a big hill, i guess, but a mountain for northern maine. we talked about casting our cares to God, and to symbolize this, we each found small rocks and threw them as hard and as far as we possibly could off the mountain. we cast them away. i wish our real cares were as inaccessible as those rocks became – too often i grab them back before they can really get very far. like i’ve got a string tied to them. because, in reality, i’m not going to dive over the edge of a mountain to get a care back.
let me know when you figure out how to let go for real.
@gritandglory says:
thank you thank you thank you for letting me know you took that pic. i never knew whose work it was. we’ll email about your very own carousel feature, my nutmeggy friend.
and i love that — hurling rocks off a mountainside. i wish my intangible cares were that easy to discard…
@gritandglory says:
oh — and thank you for remembering theresa’s name. and her story. for not forgetting. for not letting her become just a picture with barely a memory attached. thank you.
When you have had enough of your own efforts, when He brings you to a place of complete and utter defeat, you will let go of that line. Not because of your own willingness, but because He will have brought to a place where you will have no choice but to let go and let Him.
@ventigrace says:
crazy… I remembered this post from two years ago. That means your words sink in deep ;)
Casting my cares… I’m trying too…
And just to take a concept in a completely odd direction (it’s ok, it’s just how my brain works!) – an earthworm frequently loses it’s skin, and this is called a cast.
The cast forms a vital part of the nutrients in healthy soil & fertiliser.
If it wasn’t for that cast, soil wouldn’t be healthy, and nothing would ever GROW.
Hope I didn’t lose you there! :-)
@chrystieecole says:
So not an easy thing to do…
@atangie says:
Love this! So much truth here. Makes me want to have a flinging party. May favorite line: (He can handle the blow). Yes! Reminds me of a U2 line on their new album: Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady. Love it! How sorely we do underestimate His mighty capabilities. How puny we make His majesty in our minds. Smug is right, friend. Ok. Reading this is pumping me up to trust my God. Yes! Let’s go for it!
@lynselstevens says:
learning how to do that as well. It is hard to cast your cares when growing up like i did i was told to stuff it, ignore it and leave it alone. So now, thats what i do…but i tend to live in constant stress and worry…so i am practicing this….a discipline that i hope one day turns into a habit.
I remember this one too…
Oooh, this really spoke to me. I always have that old fishing pole picture in my head, too, but yes (speaking to myself), it’s time to just FLING it all away. It’s too exhausting to keep my tight grip on the pole all the time. And it’s not how He ever intended it.
In that verse, the word that has always jumped out at me is “all.” So, that means that I’m not bothering Him when I bring the so-called “small” things to Him. That I’m never bothering Him. What a picture of a loving, caring Father this is to me.
The word “cast” also makes me think of some other uses of the word, too: A mold. What’s used to set a broken bone. To be put into a play or production for a specific purpose.
Lots of spiritual parallels in each of these. Your posts always make me think, Alece.
Wow…that’s some good food for thought…..I know we do that a lot!! Lord help us figure out how to do this thing!
This is a very good post and you echo the words of many, many people. I’m thankful that God loves us with our imperfect faith and our hesitancy. Sometimes we are like children who live with fear and nervousness of things that are frightening. Nevertheless, God’s goodness never changes not does his willingness to step into our problems instead of away from them. Thanks.
@PrudyChick says:
I never thought about what you said relating casting to casting a net or a line in fishing where the caster is still holding on to the other side. The visualization I use when I’m heavy burdened and need to turn things over to God is dumping everything in a wheel barrow wheeling it over to before His throne and saying God I can’t deal with this I need you to take it. Please do your will. And then I walk away. Taking the burden off my shoulders and laying it before Him.
I wrote a little poem about casting once…
castaway – loss
cast away – toss
cast a way – cross
So true. Be sure to read @pwilson’s post today at Withoutwax.tv. He is talking forgiveness and these two things seem to go hand and hand for me.
@gritandglory says:
inexplicably linked… you’re right.
@moweezle says:
this is such a difficult thing to do….why do we keep holding on, even when we think we have let go??? I’m trying too….
I love your word pictures… you amaze me… and i remember this post too. Have I been reading your blog that long? two years??
mmm.
i think i have trouble casting my cares upon Him because of the second part. “Because He cares for you.” I know that. And believe that. But I have some trouble accepting that about the deepest, blackest, most doubt-iest parts of my heart. When I think of the word “because” i think of something that has been there, is there, and will be there. And so if i’m struggs with the latter part of the sentence, i certainly will be struggling with the first part muchos. so i think i really need to wrestle with this verse as a whole. in a lot of different dimensions.
thank you for your wise words and great heart, stranger.
@gritandglory says:
i’m so glad you pointed that out. that’s deeply tied to my struggle, too… and i never realized it till now. thank you, stranger.
@cassgirl says:
My toes are still gettin wet.
I Lovee you!!
Amazing post. I always have to remember to give everything up to Him and just leave with Him.
Amazing post. I always have to remember to give everything up to Him and just leave with Him. God bless. I’m praying for you as always.
@danielleH says:
mmm…so good
@JewelzSightings says:
Love your heart, Alece…. love the way you think….
Your Papa God does too….
Thank you for this. I am crying…thankful for your words. I needed to hear this..the real meaning of cast. It seems I’m a great fisherman…I wish I could just let it go.
Thank you.
Thank you for this good reminder. I wrote an essay on a related topic that you might relate to: http://timothydeanmills.blogspot.com/2009/11/beautiful-soul.html.
God bless.
–Tim