As we continue to build our momentum of “Becoming”, which always focuses on moving forward and upward, let’s go within and I ask you to consider three questions:
Do you like yourself?
Do you love yourself?
Do you respect yourself?
I pray you’ll ponder them and reflect as we begin this edition of “Becoming Today”.
Now as we continue let’s begin by releasing your understandings upon your actions. Living them, and gracefully acknowledging our beliefs, values and personal paths.
Accept grace, joy and wisdom. Give thanks for it with a grateful heart. What then? Keep doing it. What? Being you.
Then you are “Becoming” the real, true, authentic you. All you were intended to be.
Still have questions, concerns, doubt or worries?
Today we’ll embrace the topic of: “Casting Your Cares”.
A key element of being “Becoming” is living a righteous life.
To do so requires we cast all of our cares upon God.
Ensuring that we are the same page let’s explore some shared definitions.
Righteous living on our path to “Becoming” can literally be defined as being “right especially in a moral way”. Being righteous means doing the right thing at all times not only for yourself, but also for others.
Other key elements of being a righteous individual are:
“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
In everything, set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
Titus 2:1-8 (NIV)
Moving forward then let’s establish that to “cast” literally means to “throw.” When you throw something to someone, you are releasing it, trusting they’ll catch it and handle it appropriately. So whether it’s tossing the car keys or passing a basketball, it’s the same analogy as releasing your cares to God. You are putting the responsibilities for them in His court.
So what exactly are your cares? They are different for each and every one of us, but can generally be understood as our personal fears, worries, doubts, anxieties, or troubles.
By handing them off to the Lord we are demonstrating trust in God that He is able and willing to deal with our concerns.
Inasmuch as Scripture Instructs us to cast our cares, and Jesus himself told people not to worry. Not to show obedience in this matter, would be the opposite of righteous living. It shows not only a lack of obedience but can be described as being dishonorable to God.
Why? Because if we do not release the anxieties for Him to handle and try to battle them alone, we are trying to do His job. Attempting to take His burdens upon our shoulders will crush us. However if we follow the advice of the Apostle Peter that weight can be immediately lifted.
Peter’s advice is to cast all our cares upon God.
None of us need to weigh ourselves down with emotional baggage. We don’t have to carry the burden of our worries. Nor must we submit to the bondage of fear, self doubt or loathing.
God is willing to release us from all of it. By taking all of our anxiety and concerns upon Himself.
By now you’re saying something similar to ( if not exactly as) ‘easier said, than done’. True but “Becoming” as we have well established by now involves work. Sometimes arduous labor. Making deep commitments and then elevating that dedication to the level of covenants.
Understanding that as well as coming together with common expressions of the involved concepts , now go ahead and ask me, “what’s next?”.
Oh good question. Glad you asked. For there are some steps to adopting this practice and making it a positive habitually routine of our daily living.
To cast your cares upon God is truly an accountable measurable leap of faith. I have never said it would be easy, nonetheless it is required for our truly always being becoming.
Also required is integrity. We’ll pick up our discussion there Thursday, as tomorrow we resume our weekly search and rescue mission for wisdom here on “Becoming Today”.
Becoming Today with Rochelle Jeanette 