Cast Your Cares Upon Him

By Micca Campbell

My oldest son Mitch, and his friend, Jamie, had spent the afternoon at our house watching movies up until it was time for Mitch to go to work. It wasn’t ten minutes after they left the house that the phone rang.

“Mom, I just wrecked my car. I’m okay, but Jamie is hurt. We’re just down the road from the house. Can you come?”

Can I come? What kind of question is that? I was already sitting in my car after he said the word “wrecked.” I just needed to know what direction to turn out of my driveway.

It’s one thing to hear that your child has been in a car accident, but it’s another to witness the scene. The first thing I saw was his car upside down and smashed between two trees like a pancake. An ambulance and fire truck were already at the site. Cars lined the road and people came out of their homes to view the accident. Once my mind absorbed the scene, I realized Mitch and his friend were nowhere in sight.

“WHERE ARE THEY?” I began to shout as I turned in a circle scoping the area for any sign of them. A paramedic took me by the arm and led me toward the ambulance. I felt my body go numb from fear of what I might find inside.

The first person I saw was Mitch. Our eyes met, and without exchanging words, I could tell he was scared, but okay. Jamie, on the other hand, was strapped to a straight board with her back, neck and head secured. Tears of concern filled my eyes.

“Jamie’s hurt bad,” Mitch said as if I could fix it. At that moment, if I couldn’t fix it, I was sure going to find someone who could. I bent down close to Jamie and took her hand in mine. “I’m here, Sweetie. It’s going to be okay,” I said trying to reassure us both. However, my motherly authority took over when Jamie shared her needs with me. I tried to relay them to the paramedic as calmly as I could.

“I can’t breathe,” Jamie whispered.

“SHE CAN’T BREATHE!” I shouted to the paramedic.

“I’m in pain,” she begged.

“SHE’S IN PAIN!” I demanded. Suddenly, I felt as if I needed to lie down on the other side of the ambulance from the adrenaline rush surging through my body. Fortunately, we all survived the incident and arrived safely at the hospital. Mitch only received a few bumps and bruises. Jamie dislocated a few ribs, but after several weeks she, too, was as good as new.

My son may not have been thinking about me before the accident occurred, but immediately afterward, he knew who he needed. That’s because children are bonded to their parents by a love relationship that they don’t often think about, and really aren’t even aware of. Yet, in times of trouble, worry or fear the child appreciates and reaches for that union. The same is true of our relationship with God. We should be eager to “cast our cares on Him because He cares for us” (1 Peter 5:7).

I often take for granted the awesome privilege of being God’s child. As His child, I have the privilege of casting my worries on the Lord with strong confidence that He cares for me. Worry is unnecessary when our God is able and willing to bear our burdens.

When you and I worry, we are denying the wisdom, love and provision of God. Like my son, I should be quick to call out to my heavenly Father for help. I need to run to God for comfort and reassurance instead of worrying myself sick. Often I do the opposite. I try to be the adult instead of the child. I truly want to do better. I want to be so aware of God’s abiding presence in my life that I fall asleep in His arms at night and awake to His presence in the morning.

When everything had settled after the accident, Mitch could no longer contain his worry and fear. Burying his head in my chest, he burst into tears. It was his way of releasing his anxieties and casting them on me. Because I love my son, I gladly supported him in the midst of his pain. Wrapping my arms around Mitch, I reassured him he was safe.

In the same way, our fears and worries should drive us into the safety of God’s arms. Those who trust in Him have tremendous security. We find support in God’s presence when we cast our cares on Him. No worry is too big for our Father to shoulder. Because of His great love for us, He gladly takes away our fears and quiets our hearts with peace. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). The Lord picks us up out of our wrecked lives while we are still scared and afraid and He comforts us. It’s in God’s loving care that our spirit is renewed and we know for certain there is no safer place on earth.

Micca Campbell knows the unpredictable nature of life. As the twenty-one year old mother of an infant son, her world was shattered when she lost her husband in a tragic accident. Yet in her darkest moment, God began teaching her His remedy for our deepest fears. Let Micca encourage you to lay down your worries, trust God, and embrace a life marked by peace and joy. Micca is also a national speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries and writes regularly for their on-line devotions, Encouragement for Today. In 2004, she was named ‘Mother of the Year’ by ParentLife Magazine. Micca and her family reside in Nashville, TN.

Click here to purchase Micca's book, "An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than My Fears".