Perspectives from a City-fied Southerner

Cast Your Cares on Him

I am having a crying day. Seemingly every image, quote or story about something sad, empowering, inspiring or depressing is bringing me to tears. I’m crying because it’s true that we still need funny images to tell us that we are great just the way we are, that we don’t need to conform to what society tells us we have to do. I’m crying because much (most?) of the world still thinks that this image of a family is inappropriate because it is against their personal morals. I’m crying because there are babies being left in hot cars. I’m crying because there are teeny tiny babies fighting for their lives. I’m crying because I don’t always feel valued at work. I’m crying about everything.

Most people who know me can tell you that this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. I’m just not usually a cryer. I think many things are sad but I don’t typically express those emotions physically because I don’t feel the urge to do so.

But for some reason, today is different. I don’t know why these tears are coming today but I’m thankful for days like today when I’m made to feel the weight of this sadness and my own helplessness in these situations. 

I am such a doer. My inner control freak sees a problem, and she wants to find and enact the solution immediately. But in much of the instances I mentioned above, and many I didn’t mention, I can’t do much of anything to make change occur. I can only pray to the One who is in charge of it ALL. 

The more I am getting to know the Lord and growing in my relationship with Him, the more grateful I am for the blessing of being able to bring all of my emotions, struggles, joys and worries to Him and trust that He hears me. There was a time not that long ago when I didn’t think prayer was very useful. I was of the mindset that ‘if God sees me at every moment and knows my thoughts, why do I need to pray about anything? And if He already has a plan for everyone’s life, surely my praying for/about them won’t change his mind.’ I’ve learned a few lessons about prayer that have changed my mind and my heart: 

1. Sometimes prayer is the means by which God brings about certain actions that are part of His divine plan. 
2. Prayer increases our trust in and relationship with God 
3. When we pray and cast our cares on the Lord, we realize that we don’t have to carry these burdens alone

I recently read a quote by Tim Keller that said “suffering dispels the illusion that we have the strength and competence to rule our own lives.” How very true. I’m so thankful that we serve a God who we can trust our lives with. Who pours out grace on us constantly and isn’t frustrated by having to remind us that we are not the captains of our own ships or this ship called life. Perhaps seeing and being saddened by things that are out of my control is God’s way of again pointing me to Himself and letting me know that He is the ultimate and the only doer.