The Carefree Life

So "the carefree life" came up in discussion last night. One of the things that I have been trying to process is what it actually means to live a carefree life. I Peter 5.7 sums it up quite nicely:

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

It sounds so simple and easy, doesn't it? But then you try to live it. And you realize that it's not as easy as it sounds.

It's easy in some situations do give things over to God. Like perhaps an exam or a situation with a friend. But what about when it comes to finances or a job, or medical problems? I mentioned last night that I think a majority of society identifies itself not by who they are inside (brave, kind, merciful, etc..), but who they are outside (doctor, architect, professional athlete). And when we identify ourselves by our external appearance and our accessories, they take on an increasingly higher level of importance. And we become rather concerned about maintaining our good standing. Keeping up appearances, if you will.

I talked about how I used to find my worth in who I was professionally. And how disappointed I would be when I compared myself to others. From there, I started to understand that my career aspirations maybe weren't high on God's priority list. Maybe He's more concerned with who I am in Him and how He can use me for His glory. So I no longer aspire to work as a human resources generalist for the Walt Disney World Resort by 2007. I don't care.

That's just me talking about my job. But when I think about other aspects of my life, I realize how much time and energy I spend on worry. And how detrimental that can be to my relationship with Christ. It's definitely an area that could use some improvement.

I'll end today with the lyrics to a song that I often sing for myself and others when I find that the anxiety is building.

I will cast all my cares upon You
I lay all of my burdens, down at Your feet
Anytime, I don't know what to do
I will cast all my cares upon You.