The Top Shelf: The Ever-Present God — Friday
1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (NLT)
Today, we’ll be digging into 1 Peter 5:5–9. Sandwiched between Peter’s exhortation to younger believers to humble themselves and his encouragement to stand firm and be strong in their faith, we find a classic “feel good” truth in verse 7: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” I try to avoid plucking out a single verse without first understanding its context, and I think this is a prime reason why. If you forget to look at the scriptures surrounding verse 7, you might miss some important implications of its location in this passage. So let’s look at why verse 7 is placed where it is.
God’s unfailing love for us is possible because He knows us. He knows how we act and what we’re inclined toward, and He also knows Satan knows these things, too. So what does that have to do with 1 Peter 5:7? God knows giving all our worries to Him isn’t something that comes easy for us.
Immediately before verse 7, Peter tells us that God opposes the proud, so we must humble ourselves. Why? Perhaps because if we’re prideful, we won’t feel the need to give our worries over to God—we can take care of them ourselves. Now, let’s look at what comes right after verse 7: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.” Why does Peter follow the feel-good sentiment of “Give all your worries to God” with a warning about Satan? I think it’s because if we remain worried and anxious, we become extremely vulnerable to the enemy. I know that when I let anxiety and worry rule, I find pieces of myself “devoured,” including my joy, peace, patience, and many other God-given gifts.
I’m encouraged that the God of the universe knows us so well, including where we will stray—and rather than being frustrated and fed up with us, He places reminders in scripture to help us stay the course. Not only does God provide promises of shelter, care, and provision, but in His grace, He creates pathways to help us receive those promises as we grow in our dependence on Him.
Friday’s Reflection
Do you still feel like God doesn’t fully understand you? Check out Psalm 139, which is an encompassing reflection on how intricately God knows each of us, as well as a reminder that we were made on purpose, for a purpose.
