1 Peter 5:5-7

“…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 ESV

​​I frequently turn to this familiar passage when I need to be reminded that I should not try to carry my anxieties by myself. Recently, however, while writing scripture in my journal, I looked at the two preceding verses. This made me start thinking that perhaps much of the anxiety we experience is a result of pride. Here are the two preceding verses along with the above verse:

Likewise you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV (interior quote comes from James 4:6,10 and Proverbs 3:34)

Two ways of being humble are expressed in this passage. The first is humility towards one another. It is so easy in the culture of today to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. One way this is expressed is by being so easily offended when someone doesn’t agree with our viewpoint or opinion. That is not to say that we shouldn’t stand firm on our convictions, but to become personally offended to the point of claiming traumatization simply by being disagreed with or having another idea presented as truth, is to show signs that we are thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought.

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (NASB95) This verse points out the error of the “Life your best life now,” “Follow your heart,” and “Chase your dreams” philosophies that even believers in Christ are getting drawn into. The next four verses in Philippians 2 show us how Christ exhibited humility. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8 NASB95 We are to be followers of Christ and work daily to be more and more like Him. However, we need to be careful not to become prideful as we seek to become more Christ-like. A key part of how to do this with humility is found in the verses above…Christ was OBEDIENT. “He humbled himself by becoming obedient…” We can be neither humble nor obedient without the power of the Holy Spirit. When we start thinking we can do this on our own, there’s where pride comes in and anxiety is sure to follow when we discover all too quickly that we are NOT enough on our own.

The second, and even more critical way of expressing our humility, is toward God. Generally speaking, we hold too high a view of ourselves and too low a view of God. How can we EVER think that any plan or strategy we come up with for dealing with anxiety can come close to comparing to the plans of the almighty creator of the universe? The passage in Job comes to mind when God asks Job: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Job 38:4 ESV Not only were we not there when He laid the foundations of the earth, we were also not there BEFORE the foundation of the world which is when HE CHOSE US (Ephesians 1:4). We did NOT choose Him and it’s prideful to think that we even could. We were DEAD, BUT GOD made us alive. (Ephesians 2:1-5) When we try to make our own truth instead of relying on THE Truth, we will always come up short, leading to anxiety. Jesus IS the way, THE TRUTH, and THE life; no one will get to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)

Now, after all those thoughts about humbling ourselves, we’re back to 1 Peter 5:7…When we are humble, we will have no trouble realizing that we need to cast ALL of our anxiety on Him. Let’s look at a few definitions from this verse. Anxiety (care) is the Greek word merimna which is derived from merizō which conveys the idea of distraction. The other definition given for merimna besides care was solicitude. I had to break out the dictionary for that one. One of the definitions for solicitude from dictionary.com was “an attitude expressing excessive attentiveness.” Here’s where I connected this back to humility and the problem with having too high of a view of self and too low of a view of God. If I am giving excessive attentiveness to the things that cause me anxiety, I am NOT giving the deserved attentiveness to almighty God. Now for the Greek word behind casting. It is epirrhiptō which means to throw upon. This made me think of Psalm 55:22a another very similar verse. “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you;” Here, cast, is from the Hebrew shâlak which has the connotation of throwing down or away, or to hurl. So, we are not to hold on to our anxiety or cares at all but are to hurl them toward our Savior who will take care of them for us. The word burden in this verse from Psalm 55 comes from the Hebrew yehâb which implies one’s circumstances or lot. Our circumstances in life are frequently not what we expect or prefer. However, God’s word promises that if we throw that on Him, He will sustain us. WE can’t do that, but HE can! What an amazing comfort which brings peace.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NASB95

I love that His peace will GUARD our hearts AND our minds…with our hearts and minds guarded, anxiety will not be allowed to gain control over us.

Remember, Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ESV. There will most definitely be trials we face that could cause us to be anxious but we have His peace to carry us through those times.

No plans or ideas we come up with in the flesh will ever result in peace that passes understanding. ONLY trusting in and relying on the sovereignty and lordship of Jesus Christ can give us the peace that the world does not give.

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27 NASB95