We sat around her dining room table, eight of us, each wondering why there were bowls of rocks in front of us.
My friend Carrie has a beautiful way of helping us understand God’s love. We were excited because after our potluck dinner, we’d trek to Carrie’s garage to watch a movie together on the big screen—popcorn, candy and all.
But first, we prayed and listened.
In front of each of us was a plastic cup with a long string attached. As we sat quietly together, Carrie began talking about the things weighing us down—things making everyday tasks harder and creating a sense of strain.
Anger. Anxiety. Bitterness. Grief. Unforgiveness. Loneliness. Guilt. Shame. Regret.
And the list goes on.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.”
The word cast means to throw off or place a heavy burden onto someone else, much like putting down a heavy load we’ve been carrying. God invites us to do this because He genuinely cares for us and wants to carry our worries.
He reminds us to rely on His strength rather than trying to handle life’s pressures all by ourselves.
As we placed the corded cup around our necks, we grabbed a rock for each burden Carrie read aloud. One by one, the rocks went into our cups. Soon, our cups were heavy—weighted down not only physically, but emotionally, too.
Ephesians 3:16 says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”
God gives us strength from His own endless supply, not from our limited human effort.
Happily dumping the rocks back into the bowl before dinner, we finally understood what it means to “cast your cares upon Him.”
Brandon Lake beautifully captures the goodness of God in today’s song, How Good God Is. He paints a picture of darkness not as a place where we are abandoned, but as something we can battle through with God beside us.
“I didn’t know the Healer ’til I needed healing. I didn’t need a Savior or some kind of anchor ’til I lost my way... You took my hurting and gave it purpose.”
CLOSING
As I thought about those rocks sitting in our cups, I realized how easily we can become accustomed to carrying burdens God never asked us to carry alone. Some burdens may be part of our story, but they don’t have to remain our load. We can bring them to the One who cares deeply for us, strengthens us from within, and can take our hurting and give it purpose.
I’m reminded: God never promised we would have no burdens. He promised we would never have to carry them alone. So, what are you carrying today? Perhaps it’s time to cast it on Him.
