Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
—1 Peter 5:7

What is about your lifestyle that stresses you? Perhaps you're a single mom trying to make ends meet and still be a good mother. Perhaps your company is downsizing and your job is on the line. Or maybe you have an aging parent who needs special care. Despite all our convenient amenities, no one's life is easy, and stressors are only getting more complex. We are all trying to find answers and relief from stress. Suicide and divorce are all too common today, and stress plays a heavy role in these. But there are real answers for life's tough questions.

You can give your care over to God, and He will never fail you. He will destroy every yoke that will try to weigh you down. A counselor can bring temporary relief, but only God can permanently remove the care. What so many people have a hard time doing is letting go of the cause of stress and pain and giving it to God. I know that is hard to believe, but it is true. They ask, "Why is it like this? Does God have an answer? Is there a way out?"

Disappointment and setbacks are two of Satan's most successful attacks against us. When promises are not kept, and dreams are shattered, people's hearts are broken. Whether your heart was broken as a result of someone else's sinful or treacherous behavior, or whether a self-inflicted blow broke it, does not matter. Too many broken hearts create a broken world, no matter how the damage was done in the first place.

The answer is found in the dumping ground. You do not have to carry your pain. By holding on to it, you are telling God you can handle it. Decide today to turn your care upon Him and leave it there.

God wants to use our stresses to bring change to our lives so that we align ourselves with His purposes, walk in the destiny He has for us, and be filled to overflowing with His joy, His peace, and His love. In order to embrace the changes God wants to bring in your life, start by examining yourself on the inside—your attitudes, motives, unresolved issues. As you examine yourself, you will begin to see glimpses of the greatness God has deposited in you. You will begin to see yourself as a treasure chest filled with possibilities, and you will begin to long for God to change you as He sees fit so that He can turn your possibilities into realities.

Related Texts: Psalm 37:5; 46; 55:22; Proverbs 3:5–6; Matthew 6:25–34; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18