The secret to juggling…
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, AMP)
If you’ve ever watched a juggling act, you know how important it is for the juggler not to drop any of the objects, while also adding additional objects. One source says “the secret to juggling is throwing”. We can often feel like more and more “balls” are added to our life’s juggling routine daily. Somehow, before you master the demanding job, the new friend group, or the season of life, a sickness or financial wild card is added. You may have finally managed to spend regular time with God every day and then, boom, a new responsibility at church. Let’s face it, life is constantly demanding that we learn to juggle. Externally and internally, the perceived consequences of a failure to perfectly keep everything in orbit is an unbearable pressure.
The secret is throwing.
Just like a professional juggler, the secret is not catching better, but throwing well. A juggler knows exactly where to throw each ball so it lands in their hand precisely. Peter advises us in today’s passage to “[throw] your cares on [Jesus] for he cares for you.” When you are a believer in Christ, it is not on you alone to balance all of the “cares” of this life (emotions, fears, responsibilities, relationships, etc.). Often, we read the familiar verse 7, forgetting that casting our cares is made possible only after verse six’s humility command. You see, I can only throw my cares to God when I’m willing to admit that I need him. Humility first, juggling second.
Are you overwhelmed by the cares you juggle each day? Have you been discouraged and exhausted in your attempts to keep it all going in your own strength? Today, Jesus invites you to toss them to him. It may not go away, but you won’t bear it alone.
Prayer:
Father God, I need you. I can tell I have been trying to juggle everything alone because no amount of sleep has been enough to bring me true rest. This is too heavy for me to carry by myself. Thank you that I can cast my cares on you. Today I humble myself and pray that you would walk with me through each moment. There will never be a season where I don’t need you. I love you more than my illusion of independence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
