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Sometimes, I look at the women in my life, and I can see it all in their eyes. The anxiety, the fear, and the worry are evident without them saying a word. We girls often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders and the worry that often comes with it.

No matter what your challenges might be, you will always be better off acknowledging them and allowing yourself to deal with them than choosing to pretend as if they don’t exist.

Whether you’re dealing with a debilitating diagnosis, a divorce, difficult relationships, disastrous financial circumstances, or anything in between, you are not without agency or power. You can rise above whatever life brings your way.

I know because I’ve had plenty of my own struggles. As a natural-born leader and a functional leader in places I work, serve, and live, there are moments when I realize that there are simply more balls to juggle than I have hands, and the stress and strain of trying to keep up just become too much. Once I begin to worry about losing control, it’s only a matter of time before anxious and fearful thoughts creep in and disturb my emotional well-being and balance. 

But because I’ve learned the power of my own agency and the power of God at work in my life, I’ve grown in my capacity to deal with hard days and release the worry that often follows. Despite my uncertainties and unknowns, I’ve learned how to cast my cares on the Lord, and I’d like to share some wisdom that might help you do the same.

Engage with your feelings

The feelings that come up when you’re going through a storm can add weight, make the journey harder, and then cause you to feel alone. Feeling alone can become a self-perpetuating prophecy that breeds more isolation and emotional numbness. But something happens when you exercise your power to physically engage with your feelings.

You stop hiding from yourself.

When you come into the light, you honor your experience, use it as a growth opportunity, and build faith in your future.

For example, if you feel stressed and discouraged about something going on in your marriage, don’t just settle into despair. Stop for a moment, recognize the tightness in your chest, and pray out loud to God. Ask Him to step in and intervene like only He can. 

Or maybe you have days when you wake up in the morning without energy to get out of bed. Instead of feeling frustrated with yourself, take notice of your feelings. Is hopelessness or sadness causing you to feel depressed? Pull out a journal and write down everything on your mind. Cultivating an awareness of your heart, mind, and body is the first step in casting your cares away from you and onto God. It sets you up for His guidance, comfort, and His answers to your prayers.

Release rather than ruminate

After you’ve prayed about it, journaled about it, and talked about it, you may still feel overwhelmed with your situation. While your feelings are valid, you must do all you can to let go. Resist the need to talk about something over and over again with no solution in sight. Instead of overthinking, give yourself a short period of time to focus on your troubles. 

Once you’ve engaged with the stress, worry, anxiety, and fear, begin to give it back to God intentionally. Ask Him to help you through it. And allow the people around you to help where they can. If someone is asking you to do more than you’re able to do, it may be best to release the responsibility back to them. And when you do, truly let it go. Cast your cares and concerns to the Lord and leave them there. 

As the saying goes, “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” Just like worry requires repetition, worry-free living does too! You may have to cast over and over again. Say no over and over again. Find something else to do so your mind doesn’t stay on repeat. Once you’ve decided to release negative emotions, be intentional about replacing old thought patterns and actions with new ones.

Speak life over yourself and your situation

If nothing about your situation changes, lean into your faith with all you have. Remind yourself what the Word of God says, especially on the hard days. Here are some scriptures that can serve as a starting point for you:

  • Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that we don’t have to be afraid because God is with us.
  • Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
  • 1 Peter 5:7 tells us that we can cast all of our cares upon the Lord.

It’s not enough to simply read the scriptures. You have to say it out loud, write it down, put it on an index card, and pin it somewhere until you believe it. Remember that you will get through whatever you are facing. No matter what it is, it won’t last forever, and you’re never alone.

When you’re walking through a valley in your life, things can get so dark that it can feel like there’s no way out. But trust that God knows just what you’re going through, and He wants nothing more than to help you walk through it.

Reject the idea that you have to wear the weight of all the things life brings your way for all time.

Learning to let go of worry and all that concerns you may not be easy at first, but just like anything else, the more you practice, the better you’ll get. 

Tune in to this episode for more examples of what it looks like to cast your cares on the Lord. If you listen until the end, you’ll find a special prayer just for you.

Highlights from Today’s Episode

  • Engage with your feelings
  • Release rather than ruminate
  • Speak life over yourself and your situation

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Let’s Talk!

  1. What is causing you to feel the most fear and anxiety in this season of your life?
  2. How can you practically release your struggles to God?
  3. What words do you need to speak over yourself to breathe life into your situation?

 

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