The kingdom of darkness has a mission to distract and detour us from the will of God. He can succeed by simply keeping us busy doing things other than what God has directed us to do. When we get busy with other things we will not live the abundant life God has designed for us.
When we have an overcrowded heart, we lose clear direction and focus for our lives. Our very purpose and destiny seem to become clouded.
When anxiety and heaviness begin to overwhelm us, we must stop what we are doing, purposely cast all our cares on the Lord, and then enter the presence of God. And when we do, we will receive relief and refreshing from the Holy Spirit. When we take only the responsibility the Lord gives us, then we will quickly discover His purpose for our lives—our destiny!
First Peter 5:7 says, “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully” (AMP).
Jesus has extended an invitation to cast our cares, anxieties, worries, and all our concerns on Him once and for all. We don’t have to “figure out” how to resolve the situations in our lives. We can give all our problems to the Lord and then expect the Holy Spirit to reveal the direction or answer we need.
Peter said the Lord cares for us watchfully! Watchful means to give careful attention to circumstances, and suggests being wide-awake, keenly aware of what might escape others. The Lord is well able to care for us! He never sleeps nor slumbers. When we are sleeping, He is watchfully giving attention to our circumstances. He sees what might escape our natural limited senses.
The Lord is sensitive to the weaknesses in our lives, but in the presence of God, we can put on His strength. Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find help in time of need” (NKJV).
Jesus was tempted in every area that we are. The difference is that He never sinned. The key to His success is made clear in Hebrews 4:16. He spent time in prayer receiving grace and help in His time of need. We must come to the realization that strength and grace do not come automatically, but they can be imparted in the presence of the Lord.
God will not apply pressure or coerce us in any way. It was His choice to leave heaven and come into fellowship with us. Now it is our choice to continue in fellowship with Him.