Proper Casting is Essential for a Bountiful Harvest
“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
All fishermen know that proper casting is essential to catching fish. For some fish such as bass, we cast and then slowly reel the hook back in to attract a strike. However, the opposite is true for some other fish. For example, when I fish for catfish, I cast and wait. 1Peter 5:7 is a favorite scripture of mine because it tells us that we can cast all of our anxieties on Him. The Psalmist gives similar instructions in Pslam 55:22. “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Each day I cast my anxiety on our Lord. However, each day I also take it back. The key to fishing with God is patience. Fishing for catfish requires sitting patiently and waiting. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14). Our time and God’s time are as far as the East is from the West. 2 Peter 3:8 tells us “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
Some would say that an inability to cast and leave your anxiety on God is an indication of a lack of faith. Perhaps this is true but I don’t think so. I have faith but I think many of us struggle with the “human condition.” Faith is critical for a disciple, and I think it is a natural consequence of our human condition to cry out to God in times of despair. I would never underestimate the need for faith or the value of all the fruits of the spirit. However, I think love is of upmost importance to the disciple. “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).
Our God is waiting patiently for us to come to surrender to Him and give Him our anxiety. Then, and only then, we can live without worry. “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4).
Fishing was a common trade in the time of Jesus. It is well known that some of His diciples were fishermen and even returned to fishing after His crucifixion. I love the story in John 21 when the disciples were not catching fish and a Jesus tells the disciples to “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” The disciples did not know at the time to whom they were speaking. His advice is still applicable today. We may not be physically fishing with nets or poles but all of us are fishing for peace. The key is to cast it on Him and leave it. Jesus will tell you where and how to cast it, just be patient and wait for His voice and don’t be surprised if you don’t immediately recognize the source of the voice. Cast your anxiety on Him and the harvest of peace will surpass that of all understanding.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
Buy A Tent – It’s Important!
Buy A Tent – It’s Important! “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17 ESV).It is natural when many people think of the Apostle Paul they think of his ministry as his work, and this is true, but perhaps we can look at his situation from a different perspective. I think his ministry was his calling from God, and he was gifted and equipped with the spiritual gifts ofteaching and preaching to step into his calling. His actual work was making and selling tents as described... -
Thanksgiving Is Not Just For November
Thanksgiving Is Not Just For November "Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 GW). I love Thanksgiving! It is a fun time of year to get together with family, eat some great home cooked meals, and watch football. Thanksgiving is a time for us to reflect on the past year and identify things which we are thankful. In some families, they go around the table and each person states one or two things for which they are thankful. God has blessed us with many emotions with which we can express ourselves. ... -
Judgment or Grace?
Judgment or Grace? “…Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11 NIV). John 8:1-11 tells us the story of a woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, tried to use her sin to force Jesus to support their decision to stone her to death, which was in accordance with Mosaic law. “1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought...