The apostle Peter writes to hurting and persecuted Christian believers, who have been “scattered” from their homes and familiar surroundings, and tells them to cast all their anxieties on God knowing that God cares for them (1 Peter 5:7).
This is not some puff piece, or academic lecture, or thoughtless encouragement. Peter is communicating to real people, in real pain, and giving them real comfort. God cares about you!
We tend equate God’s pleasure toward us with painlessness for us. In fact, the opposite is often the case.
We tend to think the opposite when things are going badly in our lives. We immediately jump to the conclusion that any pain must mean that God is not pleased with us. In other words, we equate God’s pleasure toward us with painlessness for us. Yet how thoroughly unbiblical this thinking is! In fact, the opposite is often the case.
Across the pages of Scripture we find people hurting and doubting and struggling. Not because they are living contrary to God’s Word, but precisely because they are seeking to follow God’s direction. Noah builds an ark while the whole world mocks him to shame. Satan afflicts Job with physical and emotional agony because Job is living a careful, godly life. David faces Goliath for the glory of God, while even his own people declare the endeavor to be impossible. Jesus was crucified because he was the perfect Son of God. All his disciples were persecuted for teaching the gospel of Jesus, and Paul suffered ship wreck and beatings and imprisonment for the same. Now Peter writes to Christians who have lost their homes and loved ones and reminds them, “God cares about you.”
Christian, God has not forgotten you. God is not angry with you.
The same comfort can be shared with every Christian believer, in every age. Your pain is not a result of God’s displeasure.
In fact, God is rejoicing at your testimony of his Son Jesus. So whether your pain is caused by direct persecution for your faith, or by circumstances outside your control, or by the challenges of human relationships in a fallen world — cast your care on God, knowing he cares for you.
Christian, God has not forgotten you. God is not angry with you. God sent his only Son Jesus to die on your behalf, to pay for your sins; and so now God is always pleased with you, in Christ. God loves you unconditionally. God cares about whatever is touching your life. So cast your cares on God, in Jesus’ name, and know that he is able to bear them.