Carefree part 1
I think sometimes I'll kind of use an idea on the periphery. Kind of mention it once and a while. Let it sit in my Spirit. But then I like to really dig in on it. That's what I want to do in this Rant series. The idea of living carefree. And my key verse is 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." Or, in the NLT, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you." Or in the NIV, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Basically... you can live carefree, because your heavenly Father has your back. Basically... don't sweat the small stuff, because to God it's ALL small stuff. Which isn't to say it doesn't matter to God, but is to say that He can handle whatever it is. Listen: Jesus wept. His friend died, and even though He knew the end of the story was going to be Lazarus rising from the dead, Jesus still felt emotions in that moment. He cares for us so deeply. Look at Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the felling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." The NLT says it like this, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin." Jesus knows what we're going through... because He went through it. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. He knows the way through because He has been through. He said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have triblation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). And I always try to point out that He didn't say, "Be of good cheer because YOU can overcome the world." Being an overcomer doesn't mean you have the ability to overcome. It means you have ALREADY overcome. In Him. He overcame the world. Past tense. Done deal. On the cross Jesus fought--and won--the war to end all wars. Which means there are no more wars to fight. Which means the only thing we need to do is "fight" the good fight of faith with is laying hold of eternal life. Receiving and releasing the gift we've been given by knowing and believing we have it. What you believe is inside you WILL come out. It has to. It's too big not to. So it's vitally important to know what's in there. To know that God's love is in there. To know that He cares for you. And that's when you can be carefree. That's when you can live His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love by letting Him live His own life in you, and through you, and as you! And I really want to make a clear distinction between being carefree and being careless. Casting your cares onto Jesus (because He cares for you) doesn't mean you can be careless. It doesn't mean you can (or should) live with reckless abandon. It simply means you don't have to let worry and anxiety hold you back or trip you up or keep you down. One of my favorite memory verses: "Jude 1:24, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Jesus can (and will) keep you from falling. If you trust Him to hold you up. If you stand on the Rock. And if you stand on the Rock (which is Jesus, which is love) you cannot be shaken. You can know, and understand, and see, that everything is under your feet. You can stop trying to overcome and enjoy life as One who has already overcome! You can stop worrying and start living! You can enjoy what you have right now, while still building for the future and learning from the past. You can be carefree. You can pray without ceasing, love without worrying, and live an abundant life!