Recently I was asked to write a short bio about myself to be used as a footnote for an article I wrote. Of course, a bio only includes highlights and positive information. Therefore, it’s a small piece of the picture, and although the information I included is correct, it’s not my whole story. I left the ugly stuff out. Had I been transparent it might read:
“Susan Hill is a world-class worrier and has earned her Ph.D. in imagining worst-case scenarios. She’s struggled with fear her entire life and often experiences a sense of impending doom.”
One of the things I love most about reading the Scriptures is the biblical writers never sanitized the text. The Bible contains in-depth stories that reveal character flaws, habitual sins, and chronic shortcomings. I’m grateful the people in the Bible are accurately depicted with warts and all. When I read how God tended to their flaws and shortcomings it gives me hope He will do the same for mine. Also, as far as I’m concerned their struggles increase their credibility. When I look to someone for guidance, I need to know they’ve struggled in a similar way. I want counsel from folks who have spent time in the trenches, got their tails kicked, and lived to tell about it. That’s one of the reasons why I love the Apostle Peter.
Peter was a world-class worrier.
And so am I.
How do I know Peter was a worrier? The Bible chronicles his struggles with worry in detail.
- Peter worried about drowning when Jesus was within hands reach (Matt 14:29-31).
- Peter worried about Jesus’ safety in Gethsemane and responded by impulsively cutting off a man’s ear (John 18:10).
- Peter worried so intensely about Jesus going to the cross he had the audacity to order the Son of God not to go (Matt 16:22).
- Peter worried about his own safety so much he denied knowing Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62).
Based on the authority of the Scriptures, it’s safe to say Peter struggled with fear, worry, and anxiety. But we also know that God transformed Peter into a mighty man of faith who became a pillar of the early church. Peter had learned a thing or two about dealing with anxiety. And here is what he said:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
When Peter addressed worry and anxiety, the first thing he mentioned is humility. Why humility? Worry is a red flag that we are relying on something other than God. It often signals we have stumbled into the sin of self-reliance. If that’s the case, we have good reason to be worried. Peter instructs his readers to “humble yourselves.” It takes humility to admit what is out of our control. It takes humility to realize we can’t fix what is broken. We like to think, “I’ve got this,” but we are only kidding ourselves. Only when we’ve humbled ourselves and recognized what is beyond our control can we “cast our cares.” Worry is a symptom of pride because it involves taking concerns upon ourselves instead of trusting God.
To “cast our cares” means to take them to God in prayer and trust He will do what only He can do (Phil 4:6). We also must know Him will enough to trust His character. The problem is, we often cast our cares on God, and when things are moving as quickly as we’d like, we pick them back up off the altar. To “cast our cares” means to leave them in the only hands powerful enough to fix what is broken and trust that He cares enough to do so.
Peter walked with Jesus long enough to learn that humility and trust are a powerful combination against worry. Add to that combo a fervent prayer life and your worries will be on life support. King David understood this too. He prayed, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Ps 56:3). Thankfully, David and Peter and the other writers of Scripture didn’t censor their bios. So let’s go ahead and learn how God addressed their character flaws, sins, and struggles. And let’s ask Him to do the same for us.
