I'VE GOT TWO KIDS. IF YOU'VE SEEN ME
YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THEM
BECAUSE IT'S JUST WHAT MY WORLD REVOLVES AROUND RIGHT NOW.
ONE IS THREE, ONE IS ONE AND A HALF YEARS OLD,
AND WE'VE GOT ONE ON THE WAY SO OUR HOUSE IS ALWAYS CRAZY.
BUT I'M LOVING THIS SEASON SO MUCH,
AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BEING A DAD
IS WHEN MY KIDS NEED ME.
AS TODDLERS, THEY WANT TO TRY AND DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN
ALL THE TIME WHICH, IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF A TODDLER,
IS SUPER ANNOYING,
BUT THEY'RE IN THIS MIDDLE GROUND
WHERE THEY CAN DO MORE ON THEIR OWN THAN EVER BEFORE
BUT STILL TIMES WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
BUT WHAT'S EVEN SWEETER IS WHEN THEY ASK FOR HELP,
WHEN THEY ASK TO BE COMFORTED.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT FILLS ME UP.
IT BLESSES ME. AND AS I PROCESS WHY,
IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND SO DEEPLY
AND CARE ABOUT THEM SO MUCH THAT I WANT TO HELP THEM BE OKAY
WHEN THEY CAN'T ON THEIR OWN.
I WANT TO OFFER MY CAPACITY AS A CAPABLE ADULT
TO MY TODDLERS THAT ARE LIMITED IN THEIR CAPACITY.
AND THAT IS HOW OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SEES US
IN OUR TIMES OF NEED.
IT'S ACTUALLY HOW HE SEES US ALL THE TIME.
WHEN OUR CAPACITIES ARE STRETCHED THIN,
WHEN OUR STRESS LEVELS ARE HIGH,
WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SEASON OF UNKNOWN,
NAVIGATING TENSION,
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS TO GIVE OF HIMSELF,
OF HIS CAPACITY TO CARE FOR US WHEN OURS ISN'T ENOUGH.
PETER WRITES THIS:
"HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER GOD'S MIGHTY HAND,
"THAT HE MAY LIFT YOU UP IN DUE TIME.
"CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU."
PETER DOESN'T JUST SAY TRY HARDER, GET OVER IT,
DO LESS, CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR, STOP STRESSING,
EVERYTHING YOU'RE FEELING IS NO BIG DEAL.
NO, HE SAYS LOOK BEYOND YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.
THROW OFF YOUR ANXIETY TO THE ONE WHO CAN HANDLE IT
AND HELP YOU THROUGH IT.
PRAY TO GOD AND LET HIM KNOW WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON.
IN OTHER WORDS, BE REAL AND HONEST
ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
DON'T HOLD BACK. GOD CAN HANDLE IT.
AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS IS PETER TALKING.
THE SAME PETER WHO WALKED ON WATER TOWARDS JESUS,
LOOKED AT THE WAVES, GOT SCARED, STARTED SINKING,
AND THEN THE VERY HAND OF JESUS REACHED DOWN AND SAVED HIM.
HE EXPERIENCED IT PHYSICALLY,
BUT HE MAKES CLEAR THAT THE SAME IS TRUE AS HE LIFTS US UP
IN OUR SOULS FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR STRESS,
WORRY, AND ANXIOUS THOUGHTS.
I LOVE THE SIMPLICITY OF THOSE LAST FOUR WORDS.
WHY CAN WE CAST OUR ANXIETY ON GOD?
SIMPLY BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
HE CARES ABOUT YOUR LIFE.
HE CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH.
HE CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE FEELING.
HE CARES ABOUT YOU.
NOT WHAT YOU CAN OFFER HIM, BUT JUST YOU,
AS A SON, AS A DAUGHTER,
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER CARES ABOUT US DEEPLY.
YOU KNOW, MY KIDS, WHEN THEY'RE IN NEED,
THEY AREN'T AFRAID TO LET ME KNOW.
NO, THEY CRY OUT. THEY'RE NOT TOO PROUD TO CRY OUT.
THEY'RE NOT TOO EMBARRASSED TO CRY OUT.
WHEN THEY NEED SOMETHING THEY JUST CRY OUT.
AND MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO BET
THAT SOME OF US NEED TO PUT ASIDE PRIDE OR EMBARRASSMENT,
INSERT YOUR EXCUSE,
AND CRY OUT TO GOD FOR HELP.
CAST YOUR CARES ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
SO WHAT IF. WHAT IF WE TRUSTED GOD?
WHAT IF WE CRIED OUT TO GOD?
WHAT IF WE CHANGED OUR POSTURE WITH WHICH WE APPROACHED GOD?
AND WHAT IF WE PUT ASIDE OUR PRIDE
AND LOOKED BEYOND OURSELVES?
WHAT IF WE TOOK GOD UP ON HIS OFFER AND CASTED OUR FEARS,
OUR DOUBTS, AND ANXIETIES ON HIM?