Casting My Cares on Him

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

What do you do when life’s trials are bigger than you are?  It is not a pleasant place to be.

 

On Wednesday night a member shared with me what I have personally learned through trials, failure, and the grace of God.  In Wednesday worship we were discussing how we can personally grow in “Encouraging knowledge of Christ’s unfailing love.”  The last discussion topic was, “How can we grow personally in this discipline of faith?  How can we grow in being encouraged and in encouraging?” 

 

On the way out of worship I was told, “Pastor, the way I can grow is to quit trying to solve my problems by myself, and turn them over to God.  Every time I try to handle problems myself it is a struggle.  Every time I turn them over to the Lord, He takes care of them.” 

 

I have actually been praying for some members and friends facing truly difficult trials.  The turns of life are sometimes overwhelming.   I wish I could take away the struggle, the pain, the loss.  But I am not God and I cannot fix the problems.

 

There are two things I can do, however.  First, I can be there for our members and friends.  I can check on them and listen.  All Christians can do this when a friend or family member suffers.

 

The other thing I do is pray.  I believe that God answers prayer.  I don’t always know the answer.  I don’t always understand what God is doing in response to my prayer.  But, when my abilities cannot solve a problem, I have seen God’s answer to prayer bring grace and mercy to a difficult trial.  And, I truly believe that God can and does take the trials of life and use them for good.

 

God tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

 

God doesn’t just tell us He cares.  God the Father sent His Son into this world.  Jesus, the Son of God took on the suffering and death we deserved, and defeated the pain and death of this world when He rose again.  God, the Holy Spirit lives in us and strengthens us for the struggles of life.  In other words, God really cares.  He is really there with power and love.  So, when life’s trials are overwhelming we can, Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 

I wish I could fix the problems some are facing, but I can’t.  But, I can be there for them, and I can give my worries and troubles to God.  When I turn my struggles over to God, He takes care of them in ways far surpassing anything I could do.

 

A Child of God, Remembering to Cast my Cares on Him,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some recent fishing pictures.  https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/FishingSummer2015

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.

 

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