I have a tendency to have an anxious heart.  I want to plan everything out and be prepared for the worst of every situation.  As if I could ever really be prepared for every twist and turn in life.  

As I sit here writing, I am feeling extremely anxious about an upcoming surgery to implant a stimulator to better manage my gastroparesis.  There is so much about the planning for it, that is out of my control.  If I let myself stay there, I could quickly tailspin out of control into all of the thoughts of the unknown. 

The first Bible verse I learned as a child was 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”  God planted that verse into my little anxious heart and it has been one I have clung to throughout my life.  But, how do we cast our anxiety on Him?

About a year ago, I heard a sermon about anxiety that would add to how I apply this verse in my daily life to help battle my anxiety.  From that sermon I was challenged to make gratitude list and as well as list ways God has provided in the past.  After that sermon, I started a practice of writing “Cast all your anxiety on Him” and making a list of all the things I was anxious about that day.  Then I followed that list with writing, “In all things give thanks” and making a list of all the things I was grateful for that day.  I had a personal rule that I had to be thankful for at least 3x more than the list of anxiety.

In the beginning I was not very consistent with that list or my quiet time with God, in general.  When things happened in January, I began to gain consistency with my quiet time as a way that I was anchoring into God.  When I first started this activity the list of anxiety was long and sometimes it was hard to think of 3x the number of things I was grateful for that day.  

In time, I have found that the list of anxiety has gotten much shorter than it was when I first started.  I also found that the things that have continued to make it on the anxiety list have lessened in the intensity of anxiousness or hurt.  They still concern me but not to the degree that left my heart aching.  

As I was casting my anxiety on Him there was a shift in my focus.  I began to focus more on the gratitude and ways God was providing, and focus less on my fears, anxiety, and hurts.  There was a gratitude shift.  I was able to cast or throw the anxiety to God and let my heart only carry the thankfulness.  It moved me from an anxious heart to a heart full of praise for my Father, God.

What things are holding your heart right now?  What is weighing you down or causing sleepless nights?  I encourage you to “Cast all your anxiety on Him.”  Make a list and follow it with a list of His blessings in your life.  You weren’t meant to carry the weight of anxiety.  He wants to carry it for you.  Give it to Him and let your heart become heart full of praise of God’s faithfulness, even in the midst of the hard.  May we land on His grace.