Begin with 2 minutes of stillness and silence before God.
1 Peter 5:7 is a verse I’ve heard a lot over my years in church. “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I don’t hear verse 6 as much; probably because it gives us a big dose of personal responsibility. Today’s reading starts with a command to humble yourself. Pride comes from the belief that we can handle and control the things happening in and around us. If we look at the root of our anxieties, we would probably see that many of them come from refusing to let go of our pride and control. It’s important to realize that before we can cast our anxieties away, we must first humble ourselves.
The actual act of casting implies action. It doesn’t say to gently lay them down. Casting is much more powerful. Throw them away from you! Humbly realize that you are under God’s mighty hand and throw away your anxieties! We can’t forget the part that says we do these things because God cares for us. We can trust Him. We can relinquish our control to Him because He cares for us.
Peter reminds us that we have an enemy, the devil, waiting for our pride to get the best of us. He’s prowling like a lion, waiting to devour us. Devour can mean exactly what you think when you picture a lion – to be swallowed up. It can also mean to be overwhelmed or drowned. Those words go hand in hand with anxiety for me. If I don’t cast my anxieties onto God, who cares for me, my enemy, the devil, will overwhelm me. Been there, and felt that.
Peter says that we have to stand firm in our faith. Be persistent to avoid being devoured! We can’t do this alone. We must have the help of God, but we are also reminded that we are not alone here on earth either. All of these same things are being experienced by our fellow believers around the world. Together we can overcome!
Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- What anxieties have you been pridefully holding onto? What do you need to do to throw those away from you?
- Who do you know who has been experiencing some of the same anxieties? How can you join together to overcome this?
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Family Devo: 1 Peter 5:6-11
By: Paige Russum
When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.
Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset
Head
In today’s scripture, Peter wants to encourage his friends who are facing problems and challenges. Many times when we face difficult situations, we naturally become anxious. It may surprise you but Peter’s friends had the same feelings! Peter wants to remind us to rely on God in these moments. It is important to remember that even when our problems seem really big, God can help us through them all. So, the key message is to trust God, be humble, and remember that He will take care of us no matter what!
Heart
We have all faced tough situations. It can be really hard to stay firm in our faith when things are difficult, but Scripture tells us we must! Have you ever considered things you can do to help stand firm?
First, we can always pray! God would love you to talk to him about your problems. Then, if you sit quietly, you may be able to hear Him speaking to you! Another thing to remember is that we are not the only ones suffering. The Bible tells us that Christians will face struggles. With this in mind, sometimes we may need to open up and talk to someone about the problems we are facing. Others may be able to give you a perspective you haven’t considered before or some tips to help you when you're facing difficulties.
Hands
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your love and care for us. Help us to be kind and helpful to others, showing them the love that You have shown us. We trust You with all our worries and fears. Please help us remember that we don't have to carry our burdens alone because You care for us. When things get tough, give us the strength to turn to You and find comfort in Your love. Thank You for being more powerful than any challenge we may face. We give You all the glory, now and forever. Help us live our lives in a way that brings honor to You.