Laying It Down

    Yesterday I started reading a devotional called "Open Hands" written by Christian Recording Artist Laura Story and today's devotional talked about letting go of our problems and laying them at God's feet instead of trying to deal with our situations on our own. The section of Scripture that was along with it is 1 Peter 5  which says "1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."

    My favorite verse in this passage is verse 7 " Casting all your care on him for he careth for you".  We are called to lay our burdens and anxieties at God's feet and allow him to decide the outcome.  We may not want to but it's the only way we'll find peace, because worrying about our problems doesn't make them go away.  All it does is make us so stressed out that we push away the people trying to help us.  

    God promises that he will carry us through ur situations if we'll only let him.  I like the advice she writes at the end of today's devotional it said " Make a list of all the burdens and anxieties you are being overwhelmed with and then take each one of them to the Father and as you do say, 'because you care for me, I am bringing this burden to you and I am leaving it with you.'"

   I would encourage each of us to do this and release your situations to Him.  I pray he'll give you peace in your situations.

   I will include the link to her devotional here if anyone is interested: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/3800-open-hands

God Bless!