Casting Our Cares

Standing on a patchwork of slate colored stones, I looked out over the serene ocean with a renewed sense of awe. We’d just finished walking down twisting, jagged stairs and along an ocean front that appeared to be untouched by Korean hands. As we walked, we found freedom in the quiet beauty to talk unrestrained about God, life, dreams and disappointments. Old issues that we’d brought up so many times before somehow gained renewed vigor as they blended almost seamlessly with new ideas and passions fresh on our hearts. 

Something else amazing happened as we breathed in gusts of cool, salty air and watched the sun gently slip behind the mountains. I glanced down at the massive array of stones that I’d seen so many times before and had an idea. “Want to do something fun?” I asked Mark before handing him a large, smooth stone that was sitting right beside my foot. I chose another one for myself – big enough to signify something weighty, but not too heavy to hold. Grasping mine, I shared with him what I wanted to do which was just a visual demonstration of 1 Peter 5:7.  With that we began something that initially felt a little awkward but ended up making a deep impression on us both. We started taking turns sharing our burdens and dreams, praying God’s promises over them and then hurling the stones into the ocean.

As we stood on the shore throwing the oversized stones as far out as we possibly could, I realized that the command in 1 Peter implies a similar exertion. Casting isn’t meant to be effortless or easy, but an aggressive, intentional act of releasing a burden. It’s not natural for me, but instead something I often neglect out of fear or uncertainty that God will take care of the burdens I'm releasing.

The whole experience of letting go of our cares as we prayed together also created a striking picture in my mind of what a living faith looks like. It’s active, determined, refusing to stand under the weight of burdens we weren’t created to carry. It’s a faith that says to God, “I believe you want to carry my load, and so I’m giving it to you now!”

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when the Israelites set up stones of remembrance so that they wouldn’t forget the great works God had accomplished in their lives. Casting stones has become a way for Mark and me to make a mental memorial, creating  a lasting impression on our minds of surrendering our burdens to God. When these same fears and worries try to come back, we can recall standing together with unburdened hearts, enjoying the freedom of a lightened load and resting in the assurance od God's great care.  

"Casting the whole of your care on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” 1 Pet 5:7