“Casting all your care on him, for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
How often have we read those words without realizing He means what He says? All your cares – not only the big and heavy things, but every little incident and worry that weighs our hearts.
I recently had an experience that reminded me how much He includes the little things, and how anytime heaven bends to touch earth and lift our cares, that’s the most colossal and miraculous act of mercy we can know.
We got up to get our breakfast on Monday morning as we do, and I went to go fetch Ella’s needles from their spot in the kitchen to dose her up – only to see they weren’t there. My daughter Ella, age six, has Type 1 diabetes which requires her to take insulin treatments via needles anytime she eats.
It was strange because I only have two or three places I would ever put them so after searching all those places failed to yield them, I had no clue even where else to look. I went through the dirty laundry pile – maybe they had gotten caught in some clothes. I went through every room, turned over everything that could hide them, and even pilfered through the kitchen garbage in case they had accidentally been swiped in.
That needle case didn’t seem to exist in this dimension anymore.
After looking for a solid forty minutes, I was starting to get panicky. It wasn’t an emergency necessarily – but she would definitely need them shortly and if I couldn’t find them soon, I’d have to figure out how to get her some new ones promptly. I don’t have a secondary way to deliver insulin to her. I have a set of back-up needles but they are designed to fit the old brand of vials she no longer uses. It was imperative that we find her needles quickly, not only so that she could eat, but so that she could get her daily long-acting insulin which keeps her body from becoming acidic. All this was being mentally processed while the kids whined for breakfast. The frustration and anxiety started pumping through my veins.
“Hayley,” I finally said. “We’re going to need to pray and ask the Lord Jesus to help Mommy find the needles for Ella, because I can’t think of anywhere else to look for them and she has to have her medicine.”
So we stopped in the middle of Monday’s mess, in the heat of the search and simply told our great High priest the care of the moment. We weren’t very eloquent in our request but we didn’t need to be. He heard the frustration and like a good Father, stooped down to help us.
In a “part the sea” moment of clearness, I stepped away from our huddle of prayer and walked into our bedroom – and saw her needle case laying on the floor behind our curtains!
Hayley was floored by the instantaneous answer. I was so thankful. I’ve been walking with Lord long enough to know that sometimes the solution isn’t always that near at hand – and sometimes He chooses to teach us through patience, and waiting, and difficult lessons like maybe I should have been better prepared for mislaid supplies (we’re in the works to get a second set!)
But, He’s so, so gracious. Maybe He saw me in all my unlovely glory of an unrested housewife and mother on a Monday morning, who just wanted to give her babies breakfast so she could sit for a moment with a cup of tea, and took tender pity on me.
It was a reminder to take Him at His word…to believe that when He encouraged us to cast our care -even little worries like lost needles- He not only meant it but is waiting to prove His care in exercising His kindness towards us.
Friend, whatever cares you’re holding onto right now – a lost slip of paper, a looming bill, a nerve wracking appointment, a dent in the van, an unresolved issue, – He’s big enough to hold onto whatever you cast on Him.
He promised it, and He will do it – in all cares, great and small.
About The Author
Busy mom of two sweet girls and two rambunctious boys, I reside in southern Ontario with my husband. In between flipping houses, our travels to the east coast where I grew up and raising our small family for God’s glory, we have our hands utterly full and would have it no other way! More of my writing can be found following me on Instagram: @annalynneredbone; Facebook: Anna Lynne Redekop