Life is filled with care.  We are increasingly anxious about so many things.  Some of them are common to the experience of others and recognized as important things.  Things anyone and everyone might have concerns about.  Some of our concerns may not be common to others, but they may be able to see how we could be anxious about them.  Some of them are peculiar to us and our situation.  These may be the hardest to handle, because others don’t see them as important, and  may not be very supportive.

    God recognizes the importance of our anxieties  Not just the “important” cares, or the “serious” cares, or the “shared” cares.  All our cares.  He understands that the smallest matter can hurt us deeply when we become anxious about it.  So He invites us to bring all our cares to Him

    He does this in spite of the fact that when we are anxious, we are actually doubting Him and His plan for our lives.  We are not trusting that He moves always for our good and His glory.  So we fret and stew, we are stressed and anxious, worrying about things that are, or things that are coming, or things that might be.

    He does this because He loves us.  We are His concern, His responsibility.  “He careth for you” is literally, “It matters to Him concerning you.”  He carries us in His heart.  We are on His mind.  Not Just when He was on the Cross, as the beautiful song says, but every moment of every day.

    Anxiety can do so much damage.  We may be immobilized with fear.  We may despair and give up.  We may experience depression as dark as night.  We may suffer physically from any number of problems or illnesses.  All because of anxiety.

    Anxiety, or worry, never solves our problems.  Jesus said, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matt.6:27).  “Taking thought” is the same word which is translated “care” in my text.  Others translate it “worry,” or “anxious thought.”  It never helps.  It always hurts.  So we are invited to get rid of it.  “Casting all your care upon him.”

    In the words of the old song,