Casting Our Cares on the Lord
The other day in my Chinese class, my professor told me “You must be the most relaxed person in our class.” I was taken aback. Did she think I didn’t have any problems in my life? I felt slightly invalidated and very confused.
She explained that in our class discussions, I often openly express that as a Christian, I have a strong sense of my purpose in life: to glorify God. As a result, I often convey a state of calmness in class. This caught me by surprise because I personally think I’m anxious more often than I should be. In my head, there are a million things to be anxious about: classes, midterms, club commitments, finding an internship, being a good friend/daughter/sister, the list goes on. What did she mean by saying I seemed relaxed?
Being Christian doesn’t protect you from life’s daily challenges. It also doesn’t eliminate feelings of anxiety or worry. We know that the Bible tells us not to be anxious: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34 NIV) or “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6 NIV). But it’s hard to not be anxious. I think my own anxiety stems from wanting to control all aspects of my life, and when I can’t, I worry. Only when I recognize that so many things are out of my control–that my life is fully in God’s control–do I find peace. Philippians says when you present your requests to God, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7 NIV). Learning to not be anxious and to cast your cares on God is something that I’m still continuing to learn.
However, no matter the circumstances that arise, I am able to live with the full confidence that Jesus died on the cross for me, and through Him, I have eternal life. Through Christ, we have the confidence to live freely and without anxiety. So although I continue to confront the anxious thoughts that try to lay hold of me, I can live with assurance that the trials and tribulations of this world have no hold on me because Christ has won the ultimate victory.
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22 NIV).
Dorothy Zhang is a sophomore in Barnard College majoring in Computer Science.