Every Tuesday morning, my phone beeps with two alert notifications.
Some days, I really need gentle reminders to help me stay on task.
I hate to say that I'm easily distracted, but, quite often, whatever is yelling at me the loudest gets all my attention...most frequently, it's bank accounts that need reconciled, bills paid, letters that need to be written, or floors that need swept and mopped (OH!, the list is endless)...
Hence, the established beeps.
The first beep on Tuesday tells me to get all my trash to the dumpster at the end of our driveway because it is pick-up-day (thank you, Jesus, for our local waste disposal folk, I really am grateful).
The second beep is a reminder to begin focusing on my Thursday Thought.
This Tuesday the two collided.
Who would have thought my trash would get to be highlighted in my blog?
But, this particular Tuesday morning, as I pushed aside the bar that crosses the lid, and shoved back the heavy metal covering (our dumpster is not only bear-proof, it's somewhat Peg-proof, too), a little switch clicked on in my brain.
Once open, I take the bags of trash I've collected from my house, and I "cast them" into the bin.
That is exactly what Peter tells us to do with our anxious thoughts; and, this is the next ingredient that goes into the weed-killer for anxiety.
This same word (to cast) is sprinkled throughout Scriptures...and it means to transfer, throw away, or lay aside (often because it is unfit).
Best example: The disciples prepared a colt for Jesus prior to his Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem (see Luke 19:35). They "cast their garments upon the colt"...and, of course, the crowds that thronged the streets, cast theirs, as well, spreading them in front of Jesus on the ground.
To cast is an intentional act of "getting rid of" (or relocating) an object by giving it to someone or something else.
Where our problems are concerned, it's a WHO, not a WHAT.
WHO: The ONE whose heart-beats with concern and compassion for us. What is true for Israel is true for us today!
So, each Tuesday, I:
1) Bag up my trash...all of it!
2) Take it to the dumpster...all of it!
3) Throw it inside...all of it!
4) Leave it...all of it! (And, don't go back to rummage around through it...gross!)
5) Entrust it to another...yep, all of it!!!!!!
Just as I do these things, I should be doing the same with my worries: bag, take, throw, walk away, and trust.
To our list of ingredients, add 5 teaspoons of "casting."
"Casting" is one of the most difficult acts of faith.
"Casting" says, "Lord, You know better than I do the answer to this particular concern, and I believe you'll take care of it in due time, with the best possible solution."
"Casting" says, "I give up control."
Because giving up control can be SO! VERY! DIFFICULT!, casting dissolves much quicker when we first add humility.
(That's why you can't get the ingredients out of order, otherwise this weed-killer might just blow up in your face.)
When pride has been squelched, casting becomes our natural response....and HOPE begins to replace ANXIETY.
So, on Tuesday morning, as I threw out my literal trash for removal by At Your Disposal (the god over my rubbish), I metaphorically threw in a few other things that were a waste of my mental energy (for the GOD over my worries).
I'm letting Jesus take them away.
I'll give Him the space to do what He sees fit --- fix, heal, bring direction, create solution...
I'll walk away and leave my concerns with Him.
And... I'll keep reminding Him of a few of His promises.
In fact, my words have been something like this: "Um, remember...HOW YOU PROMISED ______________, and I fill in the blank."
(Just FYI: Reminding God of His Promises definitely helps with the last couple of teaspoons of "casting" - the ones that tell us to walk away and have faith.)
There's still one more ingredient to add, and we'll break that down next week...
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